The Mauritius-Zimbabwe Investment and Trade Mission got underway yesterday with a series of high-level addresses at the Caudan Arts Centre, as delegates from both nations gathered to explore opportunities for deeper economic collaboration across mining, financial services, agriculture, manufacturing and energy.
The forum comes as Zimbabwe prepares to host the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Heads of State and Government Summit on October 22, 2026 at the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden.
By hosting the event, Zimbabwe will take over the rotational bloc chairmanship from Kenya for the 2026–2027 term, further positioning the country as a key player in regional trade and investment negotiations and adding momentum to the discussions taking place this week in Port Louis.
Mauritius’ Industry, SME and Cooperatives Minister Aadil Ameer Meea called for a shift from dialogue to business and from bilateral cooperation to stronger regional value chains.
“For too long, African countries have tried to develop complete value chains individually,” he said, urging delegates to focus on regional production and specialisation.
He cited the textile sector as an example of how regional partners could collaborate across different stages of production.
He also stressed the importance of agriculture and food security, calling for increased processing and value addition within Africa.
Welcoming the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he encouraged delegates to think beyond bilateral trade.
“Instead of asking only what can Mauritius export to Zimbabwe or what can Zimbabwe export to Mauritius, we should increasingly ask what can Mauritius and Zimbabwe produce together for Africa,” he said.
“Our partnership must be African in its outlook and global in its ambition.”
Ms Josephine Takundwa, president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), told delegates that the true measure of success for the mission would entail transforming potential into actual investment, production, trade, jobs and prosperity.
“We have immense resources, entrepreneurial talent, great markets, and a youthful population,” she said.
“But the true measure of our success will not be found in our potential. It will be found in our ability to transform that potential into investment, production, trades, jobs, and prosperity for our people.”
Ms Takundwa described Zimbabwe as a market of opportunities, with vast mineral resources, fertile land, strategic geographic positioning, and a resilient private sector, noting that Zimbabwe is increasingly looking beyond traditional markets and seeking stronger commercial linkages across Africa and beyond.
“We do believe Mauritius is a natural partner in this journey,” she said.
“Mauritius has successfully positioned itself as the leading financial and investment hub connecting Africa to international markets.”
She stressed that the forum is not an end in itself but a platform from which new partnerships must emerge, adding that the private sector is a key driver of economic transformation.
Mrs Netai Loice Magade, a director in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, outlined ongoing investment policy reforms, revealing that Zimbabwe has banned the export of raw mineral concentrates and is now encouraging investment in local processing plants.
She disclosed that Zimbabwe made its first shipment of processed lithium phosphates on April 20 this year, becoming the first country on the African continent to export processed lithium.
Turning to the energy sector, Mrs Magade noted significant investment opportunities in renewable energy, with the Southern African Power Pool headquartered in Harare allowing investors to export power to regional markets.
Mr Sachin Mohabeer, the deputy chief executive officer of the Economic Development Board (EDB), outlined ten reasons why investors choose Mauritius, including its geostrategic location, political stability and attractive fiscal policies.
Mrs Dovina Pillay-Naiken, Acting Director of the Financial Services Unit in the Ministry of Financial Services and Economic Planning, traced the evolution of Mauritius’ financial services sector from a single bank in 1967 to its current status as the first pillar of the economy.
She revealed that the global business sector contributes 8 percent to Mauritius’ gross domestic product and that foreign direct investment injected into Zimbabwe through Mauritius amounted to US$1,4 billion as of June 2025.
She also highlighted skills collaboration as a key opportunity, noting that there are already Zimbabweans working in Mauritius and that the sector faces a skills shortage.
Hambyrajen (Rajen) Narsinghen, Mauritius Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, urged delegates to look beyond Mauritius’ physical size, describing the nation as a “big ocean state with unlimited possibilities.”
He encouraged Zimbabwean businesses to use Mauritius as a hub to structure their operations and access global markets, and assured delegates of an open-door policy to resolve any bureaucratic hurdles.
“When you come here, you will be at home,” he said. “We are brothers and sisters.”
The forum continues with B2B matchmaking sessions, followed by site visits today and cultural activities on Friday. The mission runs until August 22.-herald
