By Tapiwa Bere
THE scope of human security under economic security is key in attaining the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The 1994 UN Development Programme
(UNDP) defined human security as envisions of protecting human beings from various threats. Today, focusing on the economic security and achieving the Zimbabwe we all want, under the Second Republic,
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is walking the talk in taking Zimbabwe where it must be.
The President once said that Zimbabwe was detached from other countries in the world thus he introduced the engagement and re-engagement policy to put Zimbabwe back on international track, making Zimbabwe an enemy to none and friend to all.
China was once a poor country with a very low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before one man, Deng Xiaoping, came to usher the sleeping giant into what it is today.
In the book Deng Xiaoping and The Transformation of China by Ezra Vogel, Deng had four modernisations that include agriculture, industry, defence, science and technology. Such a great vision has made China an economic giant.
This dovetails with the effort and work of our own African Deng, President Mnangagwa, in his conquering steps towards achieving Vision 2030.
Back in 2018, the leader of Enlightened Christian Gathering Church Prophet Shepherd Bushiri ‘prophesied’ that he saw a new city in the country and it looked like Dubai. He emphasised on Zimbabwe becoming the African Dubai.
Those who believe in the spiritual realm can say he foresaw. The US$500 million cyber city set for construction will become Zimbabwe’s innovatory project offering a world class high-end lifestyle.
When the notion of introducing Special Economic Zones started, prophets of doom castigated the idea and now the city, which will balance the business eco-system, is the practical evidence that Zimbabwe is set to be a giant.
Every economy needs infrastructure to connect supply chains and proficiently move goods and services across borders. Zimbabwe’s way to Vision 2030 achievement is praiseworthy and the recent US$300 million upgrade of the Beitbridge Border Post is another landmark achievement by the Government of Zimbabwe to ease the way of doing business and movement of cargo.
Truck drivers and crossborder traders can tell the difference of the rapid change from the border post up to the capital city of Harare. Local contractors and the Department of Roads are moving quickly and effectively in the construction of the busiest national highway corridor, the Harare-Beitbridge Highway.
The same users of the Beitbridge-Harare Highway will soon be welcomed by the US$88 million state-of-the-art Mbudzi Interchange. After the intervention of the dedicated Central Government, also the municipal roads are being resurfaced which were long neglected by the poor management of the opposition-led city councils.
No doubt the works of the Second Republic are real and economic development is the hallmark of President Mnangagwa.
In Mt Hampden, the impressive new six-storey circular Parliament building is ready to be commissioned. The Parliament building symbolises the Zimbabwean culture and heritage.
Despite the illegal and unwarranted sanctions choking our economic security, the Second Republic is taking great strides to achieve its goal of taking Zimbabwe to where it must be. The waves of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are upon us. Schwab (2016) commented that the rapid pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution also encourages the notion of ‘agile governance’, in this direction the Government can protect public interest while supporting the modernisation.
Sanctions must never derail our journey to success as a nation. We must take a leaf from Russia. The reason Russia is winning against the Western sanctions is not just because it is a superpower but it’s also because Russians are united.
The West blindly thought that if they imposed economic sanctions on Russia, the people would turn against the Government and go against the military operation in Ukraine, but it failed because the people of Russia were not swayed.
Zimbabweans must take heed. They must not be influenced by flyby regime change agents disguised as ‘activists’.
These activists are simply singing for their supper and hate to see the development of the country for an empowered generation. Independence did not come on a silver platter and the country’s quest to become an economic giant will not be rosy.
Of course there are armchair critics out there, but they will never come up with alternative policy prescriptions or solutions.
Meanwhile, the country forges ahead towards Vision 2030 of an upper-middle income economy.
It is possible.