Business news

28 Mar 2023

Zimbabwe seen as major hub for selling Belarusian vehicles, machines, equipment in South Africa

MINSK, 28 March (BelTA) – Zimbabwe may become a major hub in South Africa for selling Belarusian products, BelTA learned from Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe Frederick Shava after the minister met with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The minister was asked about progress and prospects of Zimbabwe becoming kind of a hub, an entry point for Belarus’ trade with South African countries. The matter was discussed by the leaders of the two countries during a visit of the Belarus president. And Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised he would personally help with it, for instance, with advancing cooperation with Mozambique.

Frederick Shava said: “Zimbabwe came forward with the initiative to present Belarus’ potential, its technological capabilities in Zimbabwe. As for manufacturing, we can make some products in Zimbabwe using Belarusian technologies. Certainly, we can jointly make new products, which will be used in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries. If we make progress and are successful at this endeavor, Zimbabwe can indeed become a hub in our region for selling jointly made products.”

The minister underlined that excellent relations had evolved between Zimbabwe and Belarus. Thanks to this fact both sides advance cooperation in various fields and are considering new opportunities for interaction. “Cooperation in agriculture advances very intensively. And Belarus strongly contributes to ensuring Zimbabwe’s food security by supplying tractors and other agricultural machines. We fully use this opportunity. We hope that thanks to visits like this one we will be able to improve, to step up our activity in the sphere of agriculture,” he said.

In his words, very productive negotiations with the Belarusian minister of foreign affairs took place during the visit. Meetings with Belarusian colleagues, who work in the spheres of agriculture, civil protection, trade, and industrial manufacturing, were organized for the Zimbabwean delegation.