The African Development Bank has pledged to continue assisting Zimbabwe improve its transport infrastructure to unlock opportunities for the country’s private sector.
AfDB vice president for private sector, infrastructure and industrialisation Solomon Quaynor said Zimbabwe serves as an important transit point for goods destined for ports in Mozambique and South Africa and, therefore, requires improved rail and road infrastructure.
“The African Development Bank would like to deepen our work in the private sector overall, and specifically with respect to investments in economic corridor transport and logistics infrastructure,” Quaynor said in a statement on Thursday.
The Zimbabwe government has declared the country’s road network a state of disaster and has called for international support to rehabilitate roads to close potholes and, in some cases, resurface entire roads.
Quaynor called for greater coordination between the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the business community to improve the foreign exchange environment and unlock further opportunities for private sector investment.
The official was part of an AfDB delegation that was in Zimbabwe last week to discuss ways of developing the private sector and tapping into the country’s renewable energy resources.
He was accompanied on the visit by AfDB vice president for power, energy, climate and green growth Kevin Kariuki and other bank officials.
The mission followed a visit by AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina in July for discussions with the government about clearing Zimbabwe’s arrears.
JN/APA