{"id":15993,"date":"2019-11-25T23:09:44","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T21:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/zimbabwe\/?p=15993"},"modified":"2019-11-25T23:10:57","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T21:10:57","slug":"ed-fast-tracks-dubai-deals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.cc\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/ed-fast-tracks-dubai-deals","title":{"rendered":"ED fast-tracks Dubai deals"},"content":{"rendered":"

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government has said it will soon fast-track paperwork for construction of an upmarket hotel for his business partners from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ensure extension of visas for UAE investors at point of entry as the two countries strengthen their relations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Local analysts have, however, raised eyebrows over the concessions, saying top government officials could have taken the Dubai route for personal gain.<\/p>\n

Mnangagwa\u2019s government has already dispatched an ambassador to the UAE to strengthen bilateral relations at a time the Zanu PF leader, who came into office two years ago, has been globe-trotting on a private jet ostensibly \u201cdonated\u201d to him from the enclave.<\/p>\n

Acting Information minister Nqobizithat Mangaliso Ndlovu confirmed last week that government had approved appointment of Zimbabwe\u2019s first ambassador to the oil-rich nation.<\/p>\n

Ndlovu, who is the country\u2019s Tourism minister, said there was a plan to build hotel infrastructure in Zimbabwe to specifically cater for UAE nationals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are planning on hotel infrastructure to cater for their religion and that is under serious consideration,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube yesterday defended preferential treatment extended to UAE investors, saying the oil-rich country was Zimbabwe\u2019s second largest export destination after South Africa, and deserved such concessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is walking the talk with the promises and agreements we had with the United Arab Emirates. When Cyclone Idai struck, remember we were in the UAE and they came in to assist us. They follow up the processes and, as we speak, someone from the UAE is already in the country as part of the advance team. Whether we like it or not, they are the second largest exporter after South Africa. It is a large trading partner we cannot ignore,\u201d Ncube said.<\/p>\n

Cabinet on Thursday was briefed on Mnangagwa\u2019s visit to the UAE, where he met the country\u2019s leaders, including the Prime Minister and Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
\nMnangagwa took with him a delegation that included 25 businesspeople.<\/p>\n

Relations between Mnangagwa and the UAE have been subject to scrutiny, especially after reports that the President was using a private jet he allegedly was hiring at huge cost from Dubai.
\nMnangagwa earlier this year sought to explain the story behind the jet, saying: \u201cI was invited by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed. He hosted us well. You hear people saying I flew with a luxury jet. Those are lies, they sent us a plane.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did not pay anything for that plane. The crown prince sent the aeroplane to pick us up and we went and it dropped us. I told him we had a problem with availability of planes, and he said whenever I want to travel, all I need to do is call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Sifelani Jabangwe said he was hopeful that such deals would benefit the nation and not the foreigners and a few local elites.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is more important is how these deals will be structured. They must be structured in a manner that benefits Zimbabweans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLocal content in such deals is key because it will leave benefits to Zimbabweans. In whatever way they are coming to invest, we hope they will not be like the Chinese who bring in their labourers and their equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analyst Rashweat Mukundu said there was need for government to be clear and transparent in such deals, adding that without such, there was reason to suspect dodgy deals.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the Middle East countries are not known for doing business in a transparent manner and these are countries that tend to manage business deals using underhand methods, moreso, bribing the top leadership and benefiting in whatever manner,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, my fear is that the coming in of the Arab investors outside the legal framework of investment in Zimbabwe, outside the publicity of what is it that they will be doing, the logical conclusion is those deals are shady and will not necessarily benefit Zimbabwe, but a few of our political leaders who are in talks with the investors from the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is in the interest of the Zimbabwean government that any business deals be done in the open so that they build confidence in other potential investors.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, it is a clear indication that our political leaders are either being corrupted, being na\u00efve or are benefiting at a personal level and not necessarily looking at investment as a national benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government has said it will soon fast-track paperwork for construction of an upmarket hotel for his business partners from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ensure extension of visas for UAE investors at point of entry as the two countries strengthen their relations. Local analysts have, however, raised eyebrows over the concessions, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":15195,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,12],"tags":[38,34,807],"class_list":{"0":"post-15993","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-policy","10":"tag-zanu-pf","11":"tag-emmerson-mnangagwa","12":"tag-mthuli-ncube"},"yoast_head":"\nED fast-tracks Dubai deals - zimbabwe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/ed-fast-tracks-dubai-deals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ED fast-tracks Dubai deals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government has said it will soon fast-track paperwork for construction of an upmarket hotel for his business partners from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ensure extension of visas for UAE investors at point of entry as the two countries strengthen their relations. 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