Latest news with #Harare
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Migration should be embraced, not feared
"Migration is not a problem to solve, but an opportunity to seize," says Walter Kasempa, AU/IOM Migration Ambassador. As the most mobile and fastest-growing demographic on the continent, youth are both drivers and beneficiaries of migration. Whether searching for opportunity, escaping conflict, or building cross-border networks, young people are shaping the present and future of African migration. They are also at the forefront of innovation leveraging technology, advocacy, and entrepreneurship to create new pathways for social and economic inclusion. Seen through this lens, migration is not a crisis to manage, but a lever for growth and renewal. Yet many remain undocumented, which limits their access to formal systems and sidelines them from participating fully in society. Without legal identity, they remain invisible to institutions and vulnerable to exclusion. Ensuring young Africans are counted, protected by effective policies, and equipped to participate in migration governance is not just about inclusion. It is a strategic investment in the continent's future. In a video message recorded on the sidelines of a regional workshop on legal identity and migration organized by the Economic Commission for Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, Walter Kasempa, AU/IOM Migration Ambassador, called on young Africans to take an active role in shaping systems that affect their mobility and inclusion. Mr Kasempa's message reinforced a central point shared by many participants: migration governance must be rooted in inclusion, and legal identity is foundational to that goal. Christian Oldiges, Chief of the Social Policy Section at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), underscored the role of youth in shaping migration policy. 'When young people see themselves as part of the solution, migration governance becomes not just inclusive, but transformative,' said Mr Oldiges. 'Legal identity must be recognized as a governance tool for poverty reduction as well as a public good, key to accessing rights, services and protections that every person is entitled to, regardless of their migration status. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a market of over 1.3 billion people, presents a major opportunity to boost intra-African mobility and economic growth. If fully implemented, it could help reduce the need for migration beyond the continent by enabling young people to move, work and innovate more freely within Africa. The AfCFTA also provides a framework for retaining Africa's talent. With better access to legal identity and mobility systems, young Africans can thrive as entrepreneurs, digital innovators, skilled professionals and business leaders within the continent. But realising this potential hinges on addressing the identity and governance gaps that still limit movement and access. Fixing these issues today is key to unlocking the continent's future. The Harare workshop, co-organized by ECA, the African Union and the International Organization for Migration, focused on improving legal identity and migration data systems. A practical toolkit was also validated to support national efforts. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
EU, Germany back new renewable energy investment platform in Zimbabwe
Yesterday, the and programs officially launched a new country window in Zimbabwe. Funded by the European Union and Germany, the announcement was made in Harare during the EU-Zimbabwe Economic Forum, attended by government officials, private sector players, and development partners. The country window is designed to drive private investment in renewable energy by making financing more accessible, supporting regulatory reforms, and providing technical and strategic guidance to project developers. It draws on the financial advisory services of including its EDGE Finance tool, and the policy and governance expertise of According to the International Energy Agency, hydropower accounted for 67% of Zimbabwe's electricity production in 2022. However, repeated droughts have weakened this dependency, creating an urgent need to diversify the country's energy mix. In response, the rollout of solar solutions has become a national priority to strengthen energy security. Speaking on behalf of the private sector, Isaiah Nyakusendwa, President of the Renewable Energy Association of Zimbabwe, welcomed the initiative. He said the country window had come at the right time and that the technical support to the public sector would help create a more attractive environment for private energy investment. With this launch, Zimbabwe joins a growing list of sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, where recently introduced a similar national window. These platforms are tailored to local contexts and aim to remove key barriers to private sector investment in clean energy. Ultimately, the goal is to build a more resilient energy market that can attract the capital needed to meet electrification targets and support the energy transition across the region. © Copyright The Zimbabwean. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Controversial car radio licence fee for motorists approved in Zimbabwe
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved a law in Zimbabwe mandating that motorists pay a radio levy before their vehicles can be licensed and insured, a move criticised by some as draconian. Under the amended Broadcasting Services Act, motorists must prove they have paid a fee to the state broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp. (ZBC), before they can obtain vehicle licenses or insurance. The annual license costs $92, with the revenue directed to ZBC, which has faced accusations of pro-government bias and declining advertising revenue. Exemptions are available for motorists without a radio receiver, provided they sign a form to that effect with the public broadcaster. With approximately 1.2 million vehicles in Zimbabwe, the levy is expected to generate millions of dollars for ZBC. "This is too much for the already overburdened tax payer," said Kudzai Kadzere, a lawyer in the capital, Harare. "After all, a lot of people rely on the independent press, WhatsApp and the internet for news, they don't even tune in to ZBC. Now we are being forced to pay for propaganda." Rashweat Mukundu, a media freedom activist, described the license fee as "daylight robbery." Responding to government spokesman Nick Mangwana, who defended the move on X, Mukundu wrote: "ZBC funding has tanked because audiences & advertisers see no value/relevance in its content." Opposition figure Nelson Chamisa said the new law was "too draconian, anti-citizens and outrightly heartless." Zimbabweans already pay for radio or television licenses if they own a set at home or at a business premise. In 2016, the country's Constitutional Court threw out a case brought by an opposition lawmaker who said the public broadcaster was biased towards the ruling ZANU-PF party and the fee should be scrapped. Nick Mangwana, a senior official in Zimbabwe's ministry of information, responded to criticism that the law is unfair on social media, writing: 'The law is necessary. The fees will be made reasonable. And yes the law is fair.'
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Zimbabwe's president approves controversial mandatory radio levy on motorists
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A law that makes it mandatory for motorists in Zimbabwe to pay a radio levy before their vehicles can be licensed and insured has been approved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa , in a move that some people claim is draconian. An amendment to the southern African country's Broadcasting Services Act states that only motorists who have paid for a public broadcaster fee can buy a license or insurance for their cars.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Zimbabwe's president approves controversial mandatory radio levy on motorists
A law that makes it mandatory for motorists in Zimbabwe to pay a radio levy before their vehicles can be licensed and insured has been approved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in a move that some people claim is draconian. An amendment to the southern African country's Broadcasting Services Act states that only motorists who have paid for a public broadcaster fee can buy a license or insurance for their cars. Revenue raised by the license, which costs $92 annually, goes to state broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp., or ZBC. Motorists without a radio receiver can get an exemption certificate from the public broadcaster if they sign a form, according to the law. Zimbabwe has about 1.2 million vehicles, according to government figures, ensuring millions of dollars for a public broadcaster that has for years been accused of propaganda and bias towards the ruling party and which has struggled with declining advertising revenue streams. 'This is too much for the already overburdened tax payer," said Kudzai Kadzere, a lawyer in the capital, Harare. "After all, a lot of people rely on the independent press, WhatsApp and the internet for news, they don't even tune in to ZBC. Now we are being forced to pay for propaganda.' Rashweat Mukundu, a media freedom activist, described the license fee as 'daylight robbery." Responding to government spokesman Nick Mangwana, who defended the move on X, Mukundu wrote: "ZBC funding has tanked because audiences & advertisers see no value/relevance in its content.' Opposition figure Nelson Chamisa said the new law was 'too draconian, anti-citizens and outrightly heartless.' Zimbabweans already pay for radio or television licenses if they own a set at home or at a business premise. In 2016, the country's Constitutional Court threw out a case brought by an opposition lawmaker who said the public broadcaster was biased towards the ruling ZANU-PF party and the fee should be scrapped.
