Zimbabwe and the Netherlands are exploring potential Dutch investment in water management at Lake Chivero, as the two countries move to broaden bilateral cooperation beyond agriculture and trade.
The proposed investment was revealed, yesterday, when Netherlands Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Matthijs van Eeuwen, met Vice-President, Colonel Retired Dr Kembo Mohadi, at his Munhumutapa Offices in Harare.
Ambassador van Eeuwen said a Dutch company was already assessing opportunities at Lake Chivero, with the discussions still at an early stage but holding significant potential for cooperation in water management.
“Water management is also something we are very good at in the Netherlands. So, actually, today there is a Dutch company also paying a visit to Zimbabwe to explore potential investment in Lake Chivero,” he said.
The ambassador said the company was also scheduled to meet the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, as it assessed possible areas of investment.
“They have a meeting with the Minister of Finance, so that is really an early phase, but I think that also has great potential for the Netherlands and Zimbabwe to work together on water management, particularly here at Lake Chivero in Zimbabwe,” he said.
The potential investment could introduce Dutch expertise and technology into Zimbabwe’s water management sector while creating opportunities for private-sector participation in addressing challenges affecting water resources.
The engagement also comes as Zimbabwe and the Netherlands continue to strengthen cooperation in horticulture, with Dutch expertise and technology supporting the growth of Zimbabwe’s agricultural exports.
Ambassador van Eeuwen said the Netherlands was working closely with ZimTrade to enhance the competitiveness of Zimbabwean horticultural products and expand export opportunities.
“We have quite good cooperation with ZimTrade, also supporting ZimTrade with expertise from the Netherlands,” he said.
He noted that the Netherlands remained an important destination and transit point for Zimbabwean horticultural exports, with many products entering European markets through the Port of Rotterdam.
“As you might know, a lot of your horticultural products are exported to the Netherlands, mostly through our port of Rotterdam,” he said.
He added that the cooperation involved knowledge sharing, technical expertise and technology transfer, which could be further strengthened in the coming years.
“So there is a lot of cooperation in terms of expertise, actually sharing knowledge to support that, and also the transfer of technology,” Ambassador van Eeuwen said.
The growing engagement between the two countries is underpinned by expanding commercial relations, with bilateral trade reportedly doubling over the past four years.
The Netherlands-Zimbabwe Business Network has also been facilitating links between businesses from the two countries, helping identify opportunities for increased trade and investment.
The proposed Lake Chivero project could therefore mark a new chapter in the Zimbabwe-Netherlands relations by extending cooperation into water management, while complementing existing partnerships in horticulture, trade and investment.
For Zimbabwe, the potential investment could provide an opportunity to leverage Dutch expertise in water management and attract additional private-sector capital into critical infrastructure, as the country seeks sustainable solutions to its development challenges.
