Zimbabwe at Hi-Tech Park: dialogue becomes regular, agenda becomes concrete

Hi-Tech Park hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Republic of Zimbabwe headed by Sheillah Chikomo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. This is not the first visit by African guests to HTP: in February, a parliamentary delegation headed by Senate President Mabel Chinomona was hosted here. Today's dialogue continued this line – and showed that relations are becoming substantive.

The main topic of the meeting was the practical application of Belarusian technologies in Zimbabwe. The country is actively moving along the path of digital transformation, and, as Sheillah Chikomo noted, it intends to derive maximum benefit from the use of artificial intelligence technologies.

"First of all, I would like to thank the HTP leadership and representatives of resident companies for the opportunity to learn firsthand about the development of the IT sector in Belarus. The fact that Belarusian companies are ready to enter the Zimbabwean market is very timely, because our country is currently interested in deriving maximum benefit from the use of artificial intelligence technologies at home," emphasized Ms. Chikomo. "Our goal is to familiarize ourselves with your experience and study in detail the model of how the Hi-Tech Park functions, how the interested parties – the government, government agencies, the academic community, IT companies – work together to create a favorable environment for the development of innovations. And we are especially interested in such areas as artificial intelligence, software development, cybersecurity, fintech, e-commerce, agriculture, smart manufacturing and other digital solutions. It is your expertise, and how we can apply it at home. Zimbabwe is interested primarily in technologies that correspond to national development priorities."

HTP residents – the companies "E-Economy", "ENECA" and "Algimed Techno" – presented their solutions, already ready to enter the African market. These are not just presentations, but concrete products that can meet the pressing needs of the Zimbabwean economy – from the digitalization of public administration to medicine and the agro-industrial sector.

Anna Ryabova, Head of Hi-Tech Park, opening the meeting, noted that the dialogue with Zimbabwe is acquiring a systemic character.

"We are very pleased that meetings with representatives of your country are already becoming regular at the venue of the Hi-Tech Park. We have already said that HTP is a legal jurisdiction with special conditions for the development of IT business, and today we are ready to talk not just about potential, but about concrete mechanisms for integrating our solutions into the economy of Zimbabwe. HTP residents have great interest in the African vector, and we see reciprocal movement. This is the main condition for cooperation to be long-term and mutually beneficial," emphasized Anna Ryabova.

The current meeting became a logical continuation of the February visit: at that time, the guests were only getting acquainted with the Park's potential, while now the discussion focused on how to convert this potential into real projects. The parties discussed a wide range of joint topics and agreed on further steps of cooperation, including working out formats of interaction and preparing the relevant agreements.

Following the negotiations, it became obvious: both sides possess not only interest, but also readiness to move forward. Zimbabwe gains access to proven and competitive IT solutions, while HTP residents gain direct entry to one of the most dynamically developing markets in Africa.