SURVEY: MAPPING EUROPEAN INVESTMENT IN ZIMBABWE

The Delegation of the European Union in Zimbabwe in collaboration with EU MS is embarking on an exercise to map the presence of European companies in Zimbabwe, as well as to assess the interest of potential EU investors in the Zimbabwean market. This exercise is part of a broader effort by the EU to accompany Zimbabwe in its shared goal of increasing trade and investment, and to support local economic development. The mapping exercise will be conducted via an online survey, the results of which will be used to better support EU businesses operating in Zimbabwe through tailored dialogue on the investment climate with the Zimbabwean government.

 

All EU firms in the country or potential investors can participate by completing the 5-minute survey online (click here) (https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EUinvestmentZimbabwe), on our website, as well as on our social media by 30 September 2023.

By “European,” we consider any firm to qualify that has European shareholding, capital, registration, Headquarters, trade (imports or exports) and linkages with the Zimbabwean diaspora in Europe and are encouraged to participate. Geographically, firms from the EU 27 Member States.

All answers will be handled discretely and in line with the existing EU data protection rules and regulations and only presented at an aggregated level (as a whole, not mentioning individual companies) and will not be shared with third parties.

Participants, who need further information or would like to add input not covered by the survey, are free to contact Ms Ines Escudero (Ines.ESCUDERO@ec.europa.eu), who is coordinating this project on behalf of the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe.

The European Investment mapping exercise is part of a broader effort by the EU to accompany Zimbabwe in its shared goal of increasing trade and investment, and to support local economic development. Speaking about the launch of the survey, H.E Jobst von Kirchmann, EU Ambassador said, “Zimbabwe offers many opportunities for European investors to work alongside local investors to contribute towards an active and successful private sector.

The EU has a long history of supporting Zimbabwean trade, which includes preferential trade access to the markets of 27 countries of the European Union in a duty-free and quota-free manner, since May 2012.

The European Union is a noteworthy trading partner of Zimbabwe as it is the number one destination for Zimbabwe’s horticultural exports (42% of Zimbabwe’s horticulture exports were destined to the EU market in 2021). The EU sells machinery and chemical inputs to Zimbabwe that support local industry by encouraging greater efficiencies largely in the agro-processing, transport and leather processing sectors.