President Robert Mugabe has widened his net in “Look East” Asian friends by luring the wealthy Arab, Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr al-Qasimi, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of the Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) to do business in Zimbabwe.
EVERSON MUSHAVA
Mugabe enjoys a warm relationship with China which he turned to for economic sanctuary after the West turned against him over alleged gross human rights violations.
Saud’s visit to Zimbabwe came after Vice-President Joice Mujuru officiated at a business forum in RAK last December.
After receiving Saud with a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour mounted by the Presidential Guard, Mugabe told delegates at a State banquet on Monday night that government was committed to doing business with the RAK.
He said Zimbabwe was rich in mineral resources, but was unable to realise full value out of them through beneficiation.
“For that reason, it is the desire of the Government and people of Zimbabwe to tap into your rich knowledge and expertise in the management and utilisation of natural resources,” Mugabe said.
“We want to see economic co-operation between our two sides grow to higher levels across all the sectors of our economies. The relationship, if well-calculated, should see mutual benefit accruing to both parties.”
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Saud, who became the RAK ruler on October 27, 2010 following the death of his father Sheikh Saqr bin Mohamed Al Qasimi and is credited for transforming his country’s economy, said: “We are happy to see our African friends experience the same success we have, we are all children of humanity, we need to find how we can help each other.”
Yesterday, Mujuru told the visiting business delegation that Zimbabwe needed strategic business partnerships with various countries particularly in the area of agriculture to ensure the sector was adequately funded and the country restores its bread basket status.
“We wish to develop irrigation infrastructure for increased agricultural production,” Mujuru said.
“The water bodies, the land and the technical knowledge are some of the critical resources that we clearly have. The missing link is agriculture financing. Once financing in its various forms is added to the model, and then agriculture becomes a reality.”
Mujuru said the UAE could partner Zimbabwe in the energy sector and alleviate the country’s energy woes that have seen it experience regular power cuts.
“All we know, generation of electricity will have a catalytic effect on the performance of other sectors in the economy and is therefore a priority.”
