ZIMBABWE'S participation at the Osaka 2025 World Expo will result in a 10% annual increase in trade and investment, according to ZimTrade chief executive officer, Allan Majuru.
The Bureau International des Expositions is planning the Osaka 2025 World Expo, which will take place in the Japanese city of Osaka.
It will run from April 13 to October 13 2025 under the theme “Designing future society for our lives.”
The expo is expecting around 28 million visitors, according to ZimTrade. So far, about 150 countries have confirmed their participation.
Speaking at a media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Majuru, who is also the commissioner-general of the expo, said through the country’s participation, investments and trade were expected to both increase by 10%.
“Our participation in this expo will be a multi-stakeholder approach as evidenced by representatives of different stakeholders present with me here. We want to make sure that this is industry driven as the private sector is part of the key beneficiaries.
“We have put in place six subcommittees comprising members from both the private and public sectors to assist in planning.
The subcommittees are focusing on different areas pertinent to the success of our participation such as finance and budgeting, procurement, logistics, events and exhibitions, among others.
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“Expected outcomes from the expo are: an increase in tourist arrivals by 15% per annum, an increase in trade deals by 10% annually, an increase in registered investment deals by 10% annually, and improved Brand Zimbabwe value,” he said.
Majuru said they would be taking the campaign to all provinces to garner support and ensure maximum participation by Zimbabweans across the country.
Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe Satoshi Tanaka said the aim of the expo is to create an innovative setting where everyone would work together.
“Based on its extensive experience in hosting expos, Japan understands the challenges of developing countries such that an assistance programme covering the period before, during and after the expo has been set up. The assistance will be in the form of financial and technical support to cover 80 to 100 countries,” he said.
Foreign Affairs permanent secretary James Manzou said the country’s participation at Expo 2025 would provide an excellent opportunity “for us to market our unlimited investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and technology.”
He added that Zimbabwe’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai helped to achieve several milestones which included the signing of a US$250 million joint venture agreement between ARDA and the NV group of India to establish a brewery in Masvingo.
There was also a memorandum of understanding between the Lands ministry and the office of H H Sheikh Ahmen Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and also the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority agreement with Dnata Travel on marketing, to name a few.
