Mnangagwa tells the world- “when the facts change, change your minds”- New York Times

I wish to assure everyone that all foreign investments will be safe and secure in the new Zimbabwe. Transparency and the rule of law will be key. We have already begun the effort to defeat the corruption that has plagued our nation, including requiring cabinet ministers to declare their assets and creating anti-corruption courts. Many Zimbabweans moved their money out of the country. I offered them amnesty from prosecution if they brought the money back within three months. Hundreds of millions of dollars have already been brought back to Zimbabwe.

There are voices both at home and abroad who have sought to convince the world that nothing has changed in Zimbabwe. I refute those unfair and unfounded claims and commit that we are bringing about a new era of transparency, openness and commitment to the rule of law.

We continue to work with civil society to ensure that human rights concerns are addressed immediately, opening channels of dialogue with opposition parties, prominent NGOs and international organizations.

I commit that in the new Zimbabwe, all citizens will have the right of free speech, free expression and free association. At the heart of this will be free and fair elections, to be held as scheduled in 2018, with all impartial observers who wish to witness the new Zimbabwean democracy at work welcome to attend. I extend that invitation once again.

Zimbabwe is changing, and quickly. So in this light I urge the international community to heed the saying, “when the facts change,” change your minds.

We cannot remain hostage to our past but instead must look to the future hand in hand with our international partners. The new Zimbabwe fully affirms its place in the family of nations, with all the responsibilities this entails.

Those who cling to the sanctions are stuck in the old Zimbabwe — the Zimbabwe of poverty and international isolationism. We are bringing about the new Zimbabwe — a country of hope and opportunity, a country that engages with the world and strives toward prosperity.

We invite the international community to partner with us and help us turn our country around. Together we will unlock Zimbabwe’s vast potential and build a new, prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe for all.

Ed: This is an op-ed article written by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the New York Times yesterday

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