Western
diplomats and security chiefs from the region said prospects of turning around
the economy were bright and urged Zimbabweans to collectively work hard to
achieve its potential. Speaking on the side-lines of the 34th Independence
anniversary celebrations in Harare, United States of America Ambassador to
Zimbabwe, Mr Bruce Wharton, said Zimbabwe has great potential to improve the
economy. "This country (Zimbabwe) has enormous potential. If you look at
the economy's performance between 2008 and 2009 for example, the economy grew
by 28 percent in a few months. "This shows that the future of Zimbabwe can
be very bright if all the stakeholders work hard," said Mr Wharton.
Mr
Wharton, whose country intensified its economic sanctions regime on Thursday,
added that US was committed to promoting development in Zimbabwe. "At
independence some 34 years ago, my country made a commitment to support
development projects in Zimbabwe and that commitment remains strong. I am here
to re-express our commitment and solidarity with Zimbabwe," he said. Mr
Wharton congratulated Zimbabwe for attaining independence on behalf of the US
government. He, however, did not say how his professed hope for Zimbabwe's
economic turnaround fitted into the economic sanctions regime his country
intensified on Thursday, when it added one company and several Chinese
nationals doing business in Zimbabwe to a travel and financial blacklist.
Ambassador
Matthew Neuhaus of Australia concurred saying Zimbabwe was promising. "The
economic future of Zimbabwe is very promising. You have a very well-educated
young generation who are capable of working hard to take this country forward. "We
have stood beside Zimbabwe through difficult times as well as better times and
partnering in development assistance and investment.”We hope that this year we
may see improvements in economic policy which allows us to do more," he
said. DRC ambassador to Zimbabwe, who is also Dean of African diplomats,
Ambassador Mwanananga Mwawampanga, hailed Zimbabwe for the achievements made
after independence.
South
Korean companies are keen to invest in Zimbabwe and strengthen the bilateral
relations existing between the two countries, outgoing Seoul ambassador to
Harare Mr Kwang-Chul Lew also said. The envoy paid a courtesy call on Vice
President Joice Mujuru at her Munhumutapa Offices to bid her farewell. Mr Kwang
said Zimbabwe's economy had great potential to become one the best on the
continent. “The country has economic potential and we have a number of South
Korean companies who want to come and invest in the country once the
requirements are agreed on," he said. "It is my hope that we are
going to strengthen economic relations that are beneficiary to the two
countries." He said Zimbabwe's strength in mining and agriculture would
take the country far. "Zimbabwe has four pillars of the economy which
include mining, agriculture, manufacturing, trade and commerce and I don't know
which one is going to make a big impact first but these pillars will take them
far as far as the growth of the economy is concerned," Mr Kwang said.