TEHRAN – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) met with the Zimbabwean ambassador to Tehran Christopher Mapanga on Tuesday to discuss expansion of mutual trade relations.
The lack of a joint Iran-Zimbabwe Economic Committee meeting since 2015 and the low level of trade relations between the two countries, despite the high capacity for bilateral cooperation, were the most important issues raised during the meeting, ICCIMA portal reported.
At the meeting, Gholam-Hossein Shafei underlined various areas for cooperation between the two countries and said Iran and Zimbabwe could work together in numerous sectors including, agriculture, mining, energy, oil and gas, engineering services and agricultural machinery.
He further pointed to the unfamiliarity and lack of knowledge by the two countries’ private sectors from each other, as one of the factors contributing to the low level of trade relations between the two countries, adding that ICCIMA is ready to hold a “Zimbabwe Economy Day” in Tehran, in collaboration with the Zimbabwean embassy to alleviate the situation.
“The event will be an opportunity to introduce Iran’s economic capabilities to Zimbabwean economic activists,” Shafei said.
Mapanga for his part referred to the sanctions imposed on both countries and noted: “Zimbabwe has endured many pressures and restrictions and today the country is willing to learn from Iran how to deal with such conditions.”
“Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture has played an important role in this situation and has been able to formulate policies and programs to provide its government with new opportunity to support the economy,” he said.
He referred to the country’s mineral reserves, gas and favorable lands for agriculture and called for cooperation with Iran in these areas. – Source: Tehran Times
