Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
ZIMBABWE is poised for significant trade, tourism and investment gains at the Expo 2025 Osaka which starts in April next year in Japan.
With a few months left before the global showcase begins, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, represented by the Director of International Trade, Mr Kingdom Gandanga, told journalists in Harare this Friday that the Expo will be key in driving the country’s engagement agenda while selling the brand Zimbabwe.
“As the Ministry mandated to promote, safeguard, defend and protect Zimbabwe’s interests abroad, we are confident that Expo 2025 Osaka will be an excellent opportunity to further our engagement and re-engagement agenda, expanding our trade, tourism and investment horizons thereby enhancing the prospects of attaining our National Vision of an empowered upper-middle income society by 2030.
“The Expo serves as a strategic platform where countries come together to exchange ideas, foster business connections and market their goods and services for the mutual benefit of their societies and economies.
“Effective, participation at this International Expo will enable us to present to the world our country as a preferred investment destination, showcasing the abundant opportunities, especially in tourism, agriculture, mining and manufacturing, Innovation hubs, health and Infrastructure.
“It is, also, a forum where we can demonstrate our resilience, innovatiness, achievements and ongoing efforts to improve the ease of doing business, under the Second Republic.”
The Japanese Embassy in Zimbabwe Charge de’Affaires Mr Hiroyuki Kumagai underscored the media’s role in communicating the corrective narrative about the country.
“Your participation is vital to the success of this initiative. Your engagement with stakeholders plays a crucial role in ensuring that the country’s narrative is effectively communicated to the world. We are also confident that the media will taking important part to link between Zimbabwe and Japan.
“We, therefore, rely on your expertise to help push forward the vision and the opportunities that the Expo presents for Japan and Zimbabwe. In our journey towards commencement of the Expo, 13 April 2025, we are looking forward to feature stories and positive media coverage, encouraging citizens to celebrate their country’s representation on the world stage,” Mr Kumagai said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana rallied the media to push forward the vision and the opportunities that the Expo presents for Japan and Zimbabwe.
“Let us work together to ignite a national fervor that transcends partisan lines, narrow political interests or any other sentiment or grouping that divides us. Through compelling storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and inclusive dialogue. Let us rekindle the flame of patriotism, reinvigorate our national identity, and rally our citizens towards this common goal.
“By doing so, we can harness the collective energy of our nation, tap into its reservoir of resilience, and propel ourselves towards a brighter, more prosperous future for all. When we reflect on our performance we should puff out our chests with pride of our performance in the interests of our country.
“The media’s role in shaping the national narrative has never been more crucial, let us seize this moment to inspire, inform, educate , and empower our nation to greatness,” Mr Mangwana said.
Commissioner General for the Expo, Mr Allan Majuru is confident that Zimbabwe will capitalise on its presence at the expo and put up a good show.
“The Expo is one that will allow us to showcase Brand Zimbabwe and through the different activities lined up will see the country reaping major benefits from economic to diplomatic ones.”
The Expo 2025 Osaka will run from April to October under the theme ‘designing future society for our lives’.
