HARARE, April 28 (Xinhua) – The Shanghai Expo 2010 is a golden opportunity for Zimbabwe to tell its true story and market its vast business and investment opportunities to the world, coordinator of the country's participation at the Expo said on Wednesday.
"This forum offers the biggest opportunity for the country to reach out to a wider audience and tell Zimbabwe's true story, that we are a peaceful, hospitable and democratic nation, full of energy , striving to maintain our own identity and values in a fast globalizing world," ZimTrade acting Chief Executive Officer Crispen Tsvarai told Xinhua in an interview.
He said the exhibition was a platform for the country to re- enforce a positive image of itself to the world by telling its true story and restating its national values and ethos.
Zimbabwe has been under a barrage of criticism from the Western media since 2001when its relations with the West soured over the land reform program and governance issues, which was believed to have seriously affected the country's economy.
But Tsvarai said the extensive media coverage that will be given to the Zimbabwean pavilion and Zimbabwe's participation at the Shanghai 2010 Expo will be a glamorous opportunity for effective international marketing and positive image building.
On the business front, the Expo will be an occasion for Zimbabwe to showcase to the world its vast business growth potential and investment opportunities in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, infrastructural and service sectors.
Hosting an estimated 70-80 million visitors between May and October, the exhibition offers an invaluable platform for Zimbabwe to demonstrate its economic potential to the world and for its business entities to build vital networks for trade initiation and business development, Tsvarai said.
He added that the Expo presents the country with yet another opportunity of marketing its rich cultural and natural heritage featuring "our wonderful people, our history, the Great Zimbabwe Monument (the Grand Medieval Palace), the Majestic Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders), pristine wildlife and nature, the mystique of the Eastern Highlands, mythical Kariba and the mighty Zambezi."
The extensive media coverage given to the country's pavilion will also give Zimbabwean companies the opportunity to expose themselves to the outside world and match-make with potential investors, he said.
Meanwhile, a Zimbabwe 2010 Shanghai Expo website for companies to advertise their products and services is under construction.
Tsvarai urged Zimbabwe's small, medium and large enterprises to take advantage of this platform to market and increase sales.
He said a trade, investment and tourism seminar will be held during Zimbabwe's national day in August.
"Interested businesses, organizations and individuals can participate in the conference which will present opportunities for clinching new markets and attracting new partnerships and investment," Tsvarai said.
A total of 60 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will exhibit free of charge during the six-month period, with 10 participating each month.
Tsvarai thanked the Chinese government for assisting in designing and constructing the stand for SMEs, shipping their exhibits and organizing the national day.
