A MAJOR trade and investment mission aimed at revitalising bilateral commerce between Zimbabwe and Mauritius is on the cards, with the delegation set to travel to Port Louis in August 2026. The initiative, scheduled for August 18–22, 2026, comes as fresh trade data underscores the urgent need for Zimbabwe to diversify both its export products and geographic markets. According to statistics released for May 2026, semi-manufactured gold accounted for a staggering 52.5 percent of total outbound shipments, followed by nickel mattes at 14.3 percent and tobacco at 7.1 percent.
These three products alone constituted nearly three-quarters of all exports, highlighting the economy’s persistent reliance on primary commodities.
The geographic concentration is equally pronounced. The United Arab Emirates absorbed US$201.4 million and China US$112.8 million.
These three destinations collectively accounted for approximately 86 percent of all exports, leaving the country dangerously exposed to policy shifts or economic downturns in any single market.
Organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) in partnership with the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), the programme will facilitate Business-to-Business (B2B) engagements across priority sectors including agribusiness, manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology, renewable energy, financial services and tourism.
ZNCC chief executive officer, Mr Christopher Mugaga, said the mission represented a deliberate strategy to secure new markets for Zimbabwean businesses and build resilience against domestic economic headwinds.
“For the Chamber of Commerce, we continue working on sourcing and securing markets for the private sector in Zimbabwe,” Mr Mugaga said. “I think it’s very significant for business to appreciate that the biggest gold, the biggest sector of production, is markets. So as a chamber of commerce, it’s our role to secure markets for our members, not just to be inward-looking.”
Mr Mugaga acknowledged that while traditional business concerns such as inflation, taxation, and currency stability remain pertinent, the Chamber was adopting a different approach to build resilience.
“We are taking a different approach to say, let’s create a bulwark by getting out there in what you consider to be the stable markets, so that we continue increasing our export numbers,” he said.
Current bilateral trade with Mauritius remains modest, with two-way commerce valued at roughly US$211 million in 2024, a figure that highlights the significant untapped potential the mission seeks to unlock. Mauritius exported goods worth approximately US$204 million to Zimbabwe in 2024, primarily sugar, fabrics and manufactured items, while Zimbabwe’s exports stood at just US$7 million, largely comprising tobacco.
The delegation is expected to comprise 25–40 business representatives, including investors, exporters, and industrial firms. The programme culminates in a high-level Business Forum on 19 August, followed by strategic institutional visits to the Economic Development Board, the Stock Exchange of Mauritius, and industrial hubs such as Ebene Cybercity and the Jin Fei Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.-herald
