Zimbabwe's president wants Trump to build golf courses near Victoria Falls

godfred akoto

January 24, 2018 5:14 PM

The Zimbabwean president is on a drive to improve his country's international image

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared his South African country open to the world for business after emerging from decades under the rule of Robert Mugabe.

Speaking to the BBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum currently going on in the Swiss city of Davos, Mnangagwa touted the new status of his country.

"We are now open for business," he said, inviting foreign investors to the country.

"Going into the future we want to embrace the international community. Today Zimbabwe is ready for investment."

At the time of independence, Zimbabwe was once a food basket of the region. But the country has been hit by a food security crisis, with more than 4 million people malnourished. Mnangagwa says the country should be able to produce enough grain again. "We now have a food surplus."

The president says he has set up a national healing and peace commission to address the past, which includes thousands of deaths during the Mugabe regime. He adds that the government of the day should apologize.

With elections scheduled for later in 2018, Mnangagwa is desperate to maintain the trust of the international community and has invited them to observe. "We will have transparent elections, free and fair."

He had some interesting ideas for US President Trump, urging him to develop build gold courses near Victoria Falls.

godfred akoto