KEY POINTS
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Zimbabwean Ministers Muswere and Mutsvangwa met with Minsk Mayor to explore media, small business, and agricultural cooperation.
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Minister Muswere emphasized the importance of Belarus’s integrated media model to modernise Zimbabwe’s media sector.
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Minister Mutsvangwa focused on boosting women’s empowerment and small business growth through collaborative efforts with Belarus.
On May 13, 2025, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, and Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Monica Mutsvangwa, met with the Mayor of Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
The meeting aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including media development, digitalisation, and the empowerment of women and small businesses.
The discussions were centred around modernising Zimbabwe’s media landscape and learning from Belarus’s integrated media approach.
Both ministers visited an integrated media group in Minsk, which is a part of Belarus’s strategy to modernise its media sector.
The visit provided insights into the way Belarus has effectively integrated its media outlets, which Dr. Muswere noted would align with Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to transform its own media.
Dr. Muswere remarked, “Belarus has made significant strides in the digitalisation of its media sector, and we are keen to incorporate similar strategies in Zimbabwe to modernise our media platforms.” The ministers also discussed the need for content-sharing arrangements that could benefit both nations’ media industries.
This could potentially involve joint initiatives that would help Zimbabwe newspapers like The Herald online and Chronicle, both published by Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited, enhance their digital presence.
As Zimbabwe moves away from a print-first model towards a digital-first approach, both ministers are exploring new opportunities to monetise digital content effectively.
Focus on women and small business empowerment
Minister Mutsvangwa focused her discussions on empowering women and small businesses in Zimbabwe. She highlighted the importance of youth and women-led small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in driving economic growth and the potential for cooperation with Belarus in this area. “Small and medium businesses are the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy, and we are eager to build on the expertise of Belarus in this sector,” she stated. The discussions also touched on value addition in industries, light manufacturing, and the promotion of agricultural innovations, all of which are central to Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.
The two ministers also outlined potential areas for collaboration in agricultural technology and light industry. Both countries are keen on advancing these sectors, which are crucial for job creation and sustainable development. Minister Mutsvangwa reiterated, “Our engagement with Belarus can create pathways for further cooperation in areas of mutual interest, particularly in agriculture and industrialisation.”
