Zimbabwe Ministers woo more foreign investors

Press, 4 September 1980, Page 6

Zimbabwe Ministers woo more foreign investors

NZPA-Reuter Salisbury Government .. Ministers yesterday. issued new appeals for 'foreign investment in post-war Zimbabwe as official-figures showed that more whites were leaving the country-.’ 1 . 3 In speeches to a conference of; foreign businessmen, Ministers ‘gave assurances that Zimbabwe’s socialism would be “pragmatic and mild,” that the crucial mining industry would not be nationalised and that the Government 1 would adopt conservative fiscal policies. But //official statistics showed that the number of whites leaving the country in July)-"the’-last month for which; figures>are available, had risen from the June level of 1238 to 1644 — the highest since, April last year. .EThe, former Prime Minis-' ter, lan iSihith, has expressed concern at.; the number of < whites refusing to stay in the country under the social- i ist black Government of the ; Prime Minister (Mr Robert < Mugabe). . 1 He, has urged his followers to stay,, on, !.bqfc many have 1 been unsettled by political '

change since the end of white minority rule and violent incidents involving former nationalist guerrillas in the countryside. Mr Smith, whose Rhodesian Front Party controls all 20 white seats in the 100member Parliament, has also blamed Marxist slogans on the State-run radio and television for the departure of whites.

These have now been toned down in comparison with the days just after independence and vitriolic a n t i-white commentaries have been scrapped on Mr Mugabe’s orders. The 200,000 white minority plays a central economic role, and Mr Mugabe has urged a policy of national reconciliation after the bitter seven, year war to keep white skills and expertise..The emigration figures could encourage foreign investors to continue the wait-and-see attitude they have shown since the former Rhodesia became independent fromtßritain on April 18: The six-day' conference of 300 foreign delegates and 700 Zimbabwean representa-

’ fives has been organised by a private body called the ■ Zimbabwe Promotion Council to foster confidence among potential investors in the new nation. “I wish to stress that we regard external investment as most desirable and essential if we are to succeed in our basic philosophy of raising the living standards of all our people,” the Finance Minister (Mr Enos Nkala) told the gathering. “We have a mixed; economy. with State enterprise and private enterprise coexisting in harmony. It is not .my Government’s in- 1 tentibn to change this coexistence, but naturally, we look forward to seeing a 1 greater participation of Zimbabwean capital and enter- '■ prise, both in the private ’ and public sectors, in new development in our coun- ’ try.” i The Mines Minister- (Mr Maurice Nyagumbo) said < private enterprise would be t encouraged in Zimbabwe’s lucrative mining sector, possibly in joint venture's with t the Government. " . 1 Meanwhile President Ca-1

' naan Banana harshly criti- > cised the role played by • Christian Churches during > the bush war and called for i their transformation into “a people’s Church”. ■ “Many of the Church ; denominations in this land ■ played a nebulous role dur- ; ing the struggle for emancipation,” the President, a Methodist minister, told a Church' conference in Salisbury. “They were not forthright against an evil system of racism and oppression. The Church needs to seriously reappraise its position in order to reflect the changed ■ circumstances ... it should aim to become a people’s '■ church.” \ . , President Banana urged ! Zimbabwean Churches to j understand African tradi- ] tional religion as “something that will bring richness and meaning to Christianity.’.’ He did not identify the , denominations he was at- : tacking. ! Since independence the ! Anglican Church and its 1 white leaders have come in ; for particular criticism from j nationalist officials.