No need to panic, we have been at war for two decades but we are still standing- Mnangagwa

Other projects are being undertaken largely through grants from friendly countries like China. Or through soft, concessionary loans we can absorb.

While this model has been painful and slow, it has taught us hard lessons in good husbandry, lessons in efficient stewardship of scarce national resources.

Limited resources restrain our unlimited needs, forcing us to drop wants for genuine, pressing needs.

Over the years, we have acquired and internalised self-discipline and frugality in management of our affairs.

And as they say, spend not, want not.

This is a key attribute which places us in very good stead, amidst the current, ensuing turbulence in world affairs.

With not many friends with deep pockets to spoil us, we have had to look inward for answers to challenges of our growth and development.

I have already said we did not, could not borrow or access credit lines as is normal with other economies.

All International Financial Institutions — IFIs — including those to which we are a fully paid-up member, and thus with full rights and entitlements, have slammed their doors on us.

ZDERA enjoins American officials to oppose any requests for credit lines to IFIs by Zimbabwe.

The perennially renewed American Presidential Executive Orders have ensured this hostile stance by American officials sitting on IFIs is ruthlessly enforced.

Looking inward has meant asking ourselves what we have as God-given endowments, and how to maximise on them.

Under the Second Republic, our endowments are our bootstraps, by which we raise ourselves.

In this season of pandemics, global conflict and all-round disruptions, mining has become our foremost bootstrap.

Thankfully, we are a highly mineralised country, favoured with majority of precious minerals and metals which are in great demand worldwide.

As I write, prices of key minerals which Zimbabwe has and offers to the world, are firming up on the world market.

Gold is creeping towards US$2 000 an ounce; palladium, which is part of our PGMs, is well above US$3 000; the price of platinum is firming daily, pointing to bright prospects.

Lithium, already enjoying a pride of place because of the seismic shift to green economies, can only bring rich rewards to our economy.

Investments in chrome, tin and iron are on the upward. Diamonds are holding their own, in fact rising.

Continued next page

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