KEY POINTS

• Mnangagwa tells diplomats to deliver measurable economic and development results.

• Embassies are expected to attract investment, promote exports and improve services for Zimbabweans abroad.

• Diplomats are tasked with turning national development plans into practical targets ahead of Vision 2030.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged the country’s diplomats to deliver measurable economic benefits from overseas engagements, insisting that embassies must do more to attract investment, expand trade and support national development.

Addressing ambassadors, ambassadors-designate, consuls-general and chargés d’affaires in Harare on Monday, November 2, 2026, Mnangagwa said diplomatic missions must align their activities with Zimbabwe’s development agenda and its ambition to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

The president warned that diplomatic postings should not be treated as holidays, urging officials to turn international relationships into practical opportunities that improve livelihoods and strengthen the domestic economy.

Embassies told to attract investment and expand trade

Mnangagwa called on Zimbabwe’s diplomatic missions to operate as strategic platforms for trade promotion, investment mobilisation and tourism marketing.

He said diplomats should help local businesses access international markets and attract buyers and investors to Zimbabwe. Their work should also support technology transfer, scientific cooperation and access to specialised skills available in other countries.

The president said women and young entrepreneurs, farmers, manufacturers, miners, tourism operators and innovators should benefit from opportunities created through diplomatic engagement.

He also urged officials to coordinate closely with government ministries and agencies to ensure that overseas engagements contribute directly to industrialisation, modernisation and increased domestic production.

Mnangagwa emphasised that diplomatic work must move beyond agreements and strategies to produce measurable outcomes.

President rejects diplomatic postings as holidays

Mnangagwa stressed that serving abroad carries significant responsibilities and requires commitment, professionalism and accountability.

He said Zimbabwe needed diplomats who were prepared to work hard to advance national interests rather than treat overseas assignments as opportunities for leisure.

The president also called for a balanced foreign policy guided by Zimbabwe’s position that it is “a friend to all and an enemy to none”. He said the country should maintain constructive relationships with different nations while avoiding dependence on any single country or political bloc.

Diaspora welfare and international representation

The president urged diplomatic missions to improve consular services and protect Zimbabweans living abroad, regardless of their background or social standing.

He described the diaspora community as an important contributor to national development and called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to complete the review of Zimbabwe’s National Diaspora Policy.

He also asked ambassadors to identify opportunities for qualified Zimbabweans to occupy strategic positions in regional and international organisations.

Zimbabwe seeks greater influence in global affairs

Mnangagwa praised Zimbabwe’s diplomatic missions for helping secure the country’s election to the United Nations Security Council, describing the achievement as evidence of international confidence.

He urged diplomats to support Zimbabwe’s forthcoming role on the council through timely reporting, strategic engagement and early identification of emerging threats to international peace and security.

The president also pointed to Zimbabwe’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and its selection to host the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers meeting in 2027 and the Intra-African Trade Fair in 2029.

He said these events should be used to attract investors, expand export opportunities and help Zimbabwean businesses grow across African markets.

Mnangagwa directed diplomats to translate resolutions from the ruling ZANU-PF’s 23rd National People’s Conference and the foreign ministry’s strategic planning workshop into clear programmes with measurable targets.

He also called for prudent management of public resources and stronger coordination between overseas missions and government departments.