SA, Zimbabwe must move beyond traditional trade: Ramaphosa
Mnangagwa is calling for deeper economic partnerships with South Africa, beyond simply trading goods
President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized the need for South Africa and Zimbabwe to move beyond traditional trade and focus on deepening investment and industrial cooperation at the South Africa-Zimbabwe Business Forum in Midrand. Ramaphosa highlighted an imbalance in bilateral trade and stated that through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, the two nations, or African countries as a whole, can expand trade, utilize natural resources better, develop industries, and create more jobs for their people.
He also praised the strong presence of South African and Zimbabwean businesses at the forum, stating that while governments determine policy and sign agreements, it is businesses that turn these agreements into shipments, factories, and jobs.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa echoed similar sentiments, calling for deeper economic partnerships between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa stressed that businesses should focus on co-investment, innovation, and developing projects that can benefit the wider region. He proposed that the next step is to deepen collaboration through co-investing, fostering joint research between universities, advancing technological innovation, and mobilizing financiers to support regional high-impact priority projects.
Mnangagwa believes that these partnerships can help businesses reach markets beyond their home countries and contribute to the transformation of the entire region.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
