Belarus to establish bus, tractor assembly plant i...

Belarus to establish bus, tractor assembly plant in Zim

New Ziana- Belarus will establish a bus and tractor assembly plant in Zimbabwe this year, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a Mid-Term Review meeting of the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation between the two countries in Harare, chief director for Political Affairs in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pearson Chigiji, said relations between Zimbabwe and Belarus were strengthening.

The former Soviet republic is eying to turn Zimbabwe into its manufacturing and distribution hub for the sub-region, especially for agricultural, mining and transport equipment and machinery.

The assembly plant forms part of broader cooperation that also includes mineral beneficiation projects, particularly in lithium.

“The Government of Zimbabwe is deeply appreciative of the decision by the Government of Belarus to make Zimbabwe its industrial manufacturing hub for the region,” Chigiji said.

“The establishment of the bus and tractor assembly plant, along with beneficiation of key minerals, is expected to begin operations by December this year,” he added.

The ongoing three-day JPCC meeting is co-chaired by Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, and Belarusian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Maxim Ryzhenkov.

It builds upon the inaugural session held in Harare last year. Belarus has previously supplied Zimbabwe with trucks, tractors, and fire-fighting equipment under agricultural and mining mechanisation programmes.

This new investment marks a strategic shift toward local manufacturing and industrialisation. Chigiji urged both countries to leverage the close relations between Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Alexander Lukashenko to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors.

He emphasised the importance of translating agreements into action, noting that “failure to implement would render our deliberations unproductive.” He also praised the shared stance of both countries on international diplomacy, especially opposition to sanctions and coercive measures from Western nations.

“Despite facing various sanctions and other restrictive measures imposed by the West, it is gratifying to note that both our economies remain resilient and robust,” said Chigiji.

Speaking at the same event, Belarus’ Head of the Department of Africa and the Middle East, Mr Yury Nikolaichik, commended Zimbabwe’s development efforts, including its successful hosting of the SADC Summit, a record wheat harvest, and the election of Kirsty Coventry as head of the International Olympic Committee.

Nikolaichik noted that the third phase of the joint Agricultural Mechanisation Facility Programme is underway, with an emphasis on crop harvesting and storage.

“The timing of the Mid-Term Review acts as symbolic, coinciding with Zimbabwe’s 45th Independence anniversary and the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in World War II,” he said.

The JPCC meeting also coincides with a working visit by Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich, aimed at reaffirming the strategic partnership, and preparing for President Mnangagwa’s upcoming visit to Belarus

The two countries have pledged to ensure robust implementation and monitoring of agreements. “We must not only plan but also execute initiatives that yield measurable and lasting results,” said Chigiji.