REGIONAL POLITICS
Zimbabwe greets a real new dawn after years of uncertainty
Even with the remaining challenges, there are tangible signs that things are set to improve
We are now into the eighth month of the new dispensation in Zimbabwe but what, if anything, has changed on the ground? My immediate response is: sentiment. Compared to a year ago there is a tangible feeling, at government level and in the private sector, of hope and excitement as to what the future holds. A friend involved in the Zimbabwean financial services sector recently noted that he hadn’t seen this much business traffic in Zimbabwe in 20 years. This is certainly evident when travelling through Harare’s airport, and by the number of meetings we are having in the capital. Previously, flights were not full and most passengers were locals, shoulders slumped, trudging to the departure gate with a look of resignation on their faces. Now flights are crammed with eager businesspeople keen to see what is going on, and in many instances, aiming to get a foot in the door. Smiling locals now walk tall. While it’s easy to read too much into flows of business traffic, a contact in the prop...
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