Published: 12 hours ago

ZANU-PF is driving an initiative to establish a coal and steel union among former liberation movements in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, aiming to boost economic integration through industrial collaboration.

Secretary-generals from these liberation parties are set to meet this week in South Africa for a summit where the proposed union will be a major topic of discussion. The industrial partnership seeks to deepen economic ties grounded in the shared history and ideological bonds of the liberation movements.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, who is also the official mouthpiece for the summit, revealed that the liberation movements' spokespersons recently held a preparatory meeting ahead of the summit scheduled for July 25 to 26 in Sandton, South Africa.

Mutsvangwa explained that the idea behind the SADC coal and steel union is to leverage the region's abundant natural resources. South Africa and Zimbabwe are major producers of iron ore, chrome, and manganese, Mozambique has significant hydro energy and natural gas resources, while Tanzania contributes nickel and hydro power.

"The SADC steel union has the comparative advantage to produce both gas and stainless steel cheaper than any global competition," Mutsvangwa said.

He emphasised that the liberation movements fought not only for political freedom but also to unite and strengthen the region's economic collaboration to claim a stronger position in the global industrial arena.

"If we collaborate among ourselves, we will set the price of steel globally because all the raw materials are within our geographical parameters," Mutsvangwa stated.

He pointed out that the main competition would be China, which imports raw materials like iron ore from distant countries such as Brazil, Australia, and Indonesia, thousands of kilometres away by sea. The shorter logistical chain within SADC gives the coalition a strategic edge.

"If we cooperate, we can supply our steel industry with cheap power, cheaper than China. With steel from Manhize, we can build transmission lines from Cabo Delgado to Zimbabwe and South Africa," Mutsvangwa added.

He predicted that Zimbabwean steel could become the cheapest globally, given the proximity of key resources such as chrome, nickel, and iron ore in the region.

"God naturally made us champions of steel. We can set the global price of steel. This comes at a time when Europe's iron ore and coal resources are depleted," he concluded.

The summit is expected to set the stage for enhanced industrial cooperation that could transform the economic landscape of SADC, solidifying the region's role in the global steel market.
- Newsday

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