President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Harare on Friday at the invitation of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for a working visit to Zimbabwe and to participate, as a Guest of Honour, in the Official Opening of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show is an annual event organised by the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society to facilitate and promote agricultural development in the country.
This year, the show will be celebrating its 130th Anniversary since its founding in 1895 and will run under the theme ‘Building Bridging: Connecting Agriculture, Industry and Commerce’.
In 2024, the show attracted 570 exhibitors, including 13 international exhibitors. About 230,000 visitors visited the show last year.
The visit will also provide the president with an opportunity to solidify the cordial relations that exist between South Africa and Zimbabwe, particularly in the economic sector.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show will also help promote intra-regional trade and economic integration within the SADC region.
Zimbabwe is one of South Africa’s main trading partners in the SADC region. In 2024, South Africa exported R 69.21 billion worth of goods and merchandise to Zimbabwe, compared to R 57.5 billion in 2023.
Vegetables were the main exports, contributing R11.9 billion to the total exports to Zimbabwe.
In terms of imports, in 2024, South Africa imported R5.4 billion worth of goods and merchandise from Zimbabwe compared to R4.4 billion in 2023.
Over 120 South African companies are operating in Zimbabwe across various sectors, including mining, aviation, tourism, banking, property, retail, construction, and fast food.
Former President Nelson Mandela graced this event as the guest of honour on 26 August 1994.
During the working visit, President Ramaphosa will be supported by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, and senior government officials.
