Tendai Biti believes he could turn Zimbabwe into a $100bn economy
Zimbabwe’s opposition could expand the size of the economy more than fivefold to $100bn within eight years if it wins the 2018 elections, a former finance minister said. The first elected government since Robert Mugabe stepped down in late 2017 under pressure from the military will inherit an economy shattered by almost two decades of upheaval including a failed land reform programme, hyper-inflation, western sanctions and mass emigration. Zimbabwe owes at least $11bn to lenders such as the African Development Bank. The World Bank estimates current GDP at about $16bn. "Part of our agenda is to rebuild the economy," Tendai Biti, a member of the country’s main opposition alliance who served as finance minister from 2009 to 2013 in a coalition government, said in an interview on Wednesday at Bloomberg’s office in Johannesburg. "We want to build a $100bn economy within the next eight years — and it’s possible." Mugabe’s 37-year rule was brought to an end by the military and his own Zanu...
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