ITALY and Zimbabwe yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on three areas of co-operation that will result in the manufacture of locally-made cars for the country and value addition in natural resources.
BY VICTORIA MTOMBA
Speaking at a meeting held in the capital yesterday, Industry and Commerce minister Mike Bimha said the vehicle would be a prototype adding that there was no name yet for the brand.
“At the moment our thrust is to come up with a framework and we have set up a Memorandum of Understanding and the establishment of an entity to spearhead the design and manufacture of a Zimbabwean-made car with the potential to export throughout Africa. (Italian Consul to Zimbabwe George) El Badaoui visited Willowvale Mazda Industries to assess the infrastructure currently in place,” he said.
Badaoui said the co-operation was on knowhow and technology transfer. He said the ideas that the company was bringing were part of the investment.
Asked about how much investment the company was bringing to Zimbabwe, Badaoui said: “You have everything, even money you do not need it, you just need an idea. Money comes later.”
Bimha also signed an MOU on the setting-up of an outlet to prepare food items that were produced at the Milan 2015 Expo such as Croco Savana burgers within Victoria Falls Airport.
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Badaoui and Bimha also signed for the establishment of an innovation company to undertake research and analysis of natural resources to be processed into new commercial products.
The products to be made as soon as the structure was in place include Makoni, Zumbani and Resurrection herbal teas.
Bimha said the ministry was working with relevant government offices and the MOU would be submitted through the relevant processes.
The co-operation between Zimbabwe and Italy is a culmination of the former’s participation at the Milan 2015 Expo. The Italian authorities allowed Zimbabwe to bring crocodile meat during the expo. This created an opportunity for negotiations on the export of crocodile meat to the Italian market.
