ABU DHABI, 19th October, 2023 (WAM) - Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Zimbabwe, expressed her desire to enhance collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe, with the goal of empowering women in both the business sector and leadership roles.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the 2023 UNCTAD World Investment Forum, the minister praised the achievements of the UAE and its leadership in supporting and empowering women to become an effective and decision-making force in society, providing all support for them, whether through training or financing.

In this context, she stressed the importance of continuing cooperation with the UAE to benefit from its experiences and expertise, saying that Zimbabwean women make up 52% of the population, which requires strengthening their role in decision-making positions. She said that they are working tirelessly to support Zimbabwean women, because they cannot remain job seekers. They must become job creators.

She added that Zimbabwe and the UAE have strong bilateral ties in diverse sectors, such as tourism, mining, and agriculture.

The minister noted that this type of forum creates opportunities to continue to showcase what women can offer. She also said that the participation of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency enables them to attract investors from different countries to start their business and investment activities.

She explained that Zimbabwe has many natural resources that attract investors, such as gold, platinum, and lithium. She said that their mission at the forum is to find investment opportunities for their women, as they are experienced in the agricultural, manufacturing, and mining sectors. The ministry continues to support these institutions through a number of interventions, such as supporting them through financing. The government has also allocated a budget to support female entrepreneurs in their businesses.