Story by Jonathan Marerwa in Beijing, China
A Chinese investments group, Great Africa Mother of Humanity (GAHM) International says it intends to invest in the construction of one thousand industrial towns across Africa starting in 2025.
The group’s founder and co-Chairperson, Mr William Wang, revealed this to a group of media practitioners from English speaking countries who where on a tour of the company’s projects in Beijing.
The media practitioners are attached to the China International Press Communication Centre.
Mr Wang said the group will provide capital, technology, expertise, management and markets to the industrial towns so as to come with a win-win business partnership.
He also disclosed that the towns will be managed directly by the local municipalities, governments, town councils and boards with his company only providing any required assistance.
Mr Wang, who has been doing business with Africa for the past 25 years and has also visited several countries on the continent, Zimbabwe included, said the key industrial fields in the towns will be agriculture, food processing, health and education sectors, accomodation and skills training centres.
He noted that such enterprises will foster economic growth and collaborations, create employment and promote industrial development in Africa.
He added that there is need to also help Africa to migrate from the usage of traditional sources of energy such as hydro-electric and thermal to green and smarts energy since the traditional energy sources are grappling with challenges caused by climate change, droughts, depletion of reserves and pollution concerns.
He highlighted the organisation’s thrust of conducting due diligence on an envisaged project saying they dispatch high powered delegations to targeted areas before any agreement is signed.
Mr Wang said they partner with both governments and private businesses adding that they have since established liaison offices in several African countries.
He told the media practitioners that ten billion RMB (yuan) has been set aside as the minimum financing capital for projects starting in July 2025.
Meanwhile, Mr Wang says Zimbabwe has vast mineral resources which can help in the further development of the southern Africa country.
He said he is looking forward to establishing partnerships with the government and private sector to develop the industrial towns.
Mr Wang, who also travelled to the Victoria Falls during one of his visits, said the scenic town has great potential of becoming one of the world’s most sought after tourist destination.
