The pledge was made by the US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton, while addressing a public discussion in the capital last week. The event was also attended by the US Bureau of International Information Programs co-ordinator, Macon Phillips.
Wharton said Zimbabwe had great potential to prosper economically and said his country would see to it that this dream was realised.
“The US wants Zimbabwe to prosper. It is in our interest that this country develops and becomes a trade partner with us. So we are going to do our best to realise those economic goals,” said Wharton.
In July last year, Wharton told The Zimbabwean that the then inclusive government, comprising the two MDC formations and Zanu (PF), had made considerable progress in bringing financial stability to the country and said investor friendly policies would help in attracting American investors to Zimbabwe.
He implored Zimbabweans to ensure that they got maximum benefit from the country’s high literacy rate, which is considered the highest in Africa.
“As an outsider, I may have perceptions which you may not get, but the people of Zimbabwe have an extraordinary reputation for being serious hard-working people and speaking English.
“Zimbabwe has the highest literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, and in other countries, English is an extraordinarily powerful tool, so do not underestimate the capacity that young Zimbabweans have,” said Wharton.
He said that Zimbabwe should ensure that technology reached marginalised areas, as it was a potent tool for development.
“I think it will be useful for all of you who understand technology to make sure that your relatives in the rural areas have access to it, so that they get to understand how powerful a tool technology is. I think that there are a lot of tools that can assist in connecting people but they are not being used here,” said Wharton.
Contributing to the discussion, Phillips called for joint efforts between civic society organisations and the economic sector in reviving the country’s economy.
He said young Zimbabweans should take advantage of social media platforms to create a better image for their country; a move, he said, that would boost the confidence of the international community.
“When you look at the relationship between CSOs and the economic sector, you will find that they complement each other. They are interconnected in some sense and that is an important point to remember.
“And then you also look at how Zimbabwe is misunderstood by the world. You need to tell the world about that by pointing out each other’s successes through taking to social media. You need to get out there and tell the story,” said Phillips.
Post published in: News