daniel chigunweOliver Kazunga
Senior Business Reporter
CHINESE firms will continue to invest in Zimbabwe’s diverse economic sectors and undertake Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in communities they operate from to foster sustainable development, a senior official said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ding Zhou made the remarks during the commissioning of Chinese owned Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe’s US$1,3 million Goromonzi Community Development Programme by Mashonaland East Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Apollonia Munzverengwi on Friday last week.
The three-year community development programme, set to begin next year and run until 2027, was launched at Vhuta Primary School in Goromonzi.
The Goromonzi Community Development Programme is classified into four clusters namely community health, vocational training, women’s empowerment, and energy equity.
In his address at the event, Amb Zhou said he was excited by how Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) activities were impacting communities in Goromonzi.
“Last time, I had the honour to accompany the President (Mnangagwa) to the commissioning ceremony of the PLZ plant.
“Just now I toured the PLZ plant and I was deeply impressed by what PLZ has achieved and how the efforts have transformed the community and people’s lives in the past one and half years.
“Upholding the value of responsible citizenship, Chinese companies have actively fulfilled the social responsibilities within their capabilities and will continue to do so to promote sustainable development in areas from which they operate,” he said.
PLZ, a subsidiary of China’s Huayou Cobalt Limited commenced operations in Goromonzi in 2022 and has invested a total of US$4 million into various programmes including CSR initiatives.
The projects focused on infrastructural development, agriculture, reducing environmental degradation, and improving access to public health and education in Goromonzi District.
“It is indeed heartening that Huayou Cobalt together with its partners is implementing the Goromonzi Community Development Programme under the Sino-Africa Corporate Community Action Network . . . underpinned by four pillars of projects concerning community health, vocational education, women empowerment, and electricity supply.
“This community development programme will definitely improve the livelihoods of local communities,” said Amb Zhou.
“PLZ is a shining example of Chinese companies fulfilling the Corporate Social Responsibilities as President Mnangagwa continues to reiterate the importance of CSR initiatives by the private sector in the development of the communities they operate from.
“What Huayou Cobalt is doing here is the epitome of what other Chinese enterprises have done in Zimbabwe.”
Over the past 10 years, he said, Chinese companies in Zimbabwe had spent more than US$100 million on more than 80 CSR programmes and thus transforming communities through employment and improving essential infrastructures in various sectors such as health care, education, and transportation, among others.
Apart from mining, Zimbabwe has received investment from China running into several millions of US dollars in various sectors that include agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.
“Under the “Zimbabwe is open for business” policy the Chinese companies have invested in various sectors in Zimbabwe and played a pivotal role in driving Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation.
“Today’s ceremony is just another beginning, our commitment to Zimbabwe people is ongoing and our success will be measured not by what we say today, but by the impact we will create together in the months and years to come.
“What PLZ and many Chinese companies have done complements the Zimbabwean Government’s efforts in implementing President Mnangagwa’s mantra of ‘Leaving No one and No Place Behind’.”
Anchored by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1), Zimbabwe is seeking to attain an upper middle-income society by 2030 and to achieve this, the President has declared that, “No-one and no place will be left behind”.
NDS 1 is the country’s five-year economic development programme that ends next year and will be succeeded by NDS 2, which will guide national development for another five years.
Under NDS 1, the Government has identified 14 key priority areas including economic growth and stability, health, food and nutrition security, human capital development, environmental protection, and digital economy.
