Zimbabwe has declared that it is open for business — and in recent years, this message has become a living reality. This month alone, two global billionaires, one from the Netherlands and another from Nigeria, visited the country, signaling not only confidence in Zimbabwe’s economic trajectory but also a renewed recognition of its vast potential.
For a nation that once faced isolation on the global stage, this renewed attention reflects a profound shift from the past. Zimbabwe is transitioning from the periphery to a position of influence within continental investment flows. Optimism is steadily replacing narratives of adversity as Zimbabwe reintroduces itself through innovation, productivity, and mutually beneficial international partnerships.
With this renewed national development and growing global confidence, Dr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) — a UN agency focused on intellectual property (IP) issues — will visit Zimbabwe on 1 December 2025 to strengthen cooperation and explore new avenues of collaboration in the IP landscape.
This engagement aligns seamlessly with Zimbabwe’s current drive toward local production, industrialization, technology development, and value addition under Vision 2030. Building a prosperous, peaceful, and empowered upper-middle-income economy by 2030 requires not only investment capital but also the robust protection of intellectual property — the true currency of modern industrialization.
Intellectual Property: Protecting Innovations That Build the Nation
Central to Zimbabwe’s current development philosophy is the mantra “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” — a country is built by its own people. The Government continues to promote local initiative, recognizing the ingenuity of its workers, the creativity of its artists, the boldness of its entrepreneurs and innovators, and the research outputs of its scientists and universities.
Yet for such creativity to translate into national prosperity, it must be well protected. Intellectual property acts as a legal shield, ensuring that Zimbabwean ideas, inventions, brands, artistic works, traditional knowledge, folklore, and innovations remain in the hands of their rightful creators.
A strong IP system ensures that local value stays local, that innovators are rewarded, and that Zimbabwe’s creative and productive sectors are protected from unfair commercial practices.
Counterfeiting and piracy — whether in agriculture, software, music, pharmaceuticals, or industrial goods — pose serious threats to economic sovereignty. They frustrate innovators, deter investment, and distort markets. Protecting IP is, therefore, not merely a legal obligation; it is a strategic imperative that underpins national development, job creation, and global competitiveness.
Supporting Local Production and Enhancing Global Competitiveness
Zimbabwe’s foreign policy places strong emphasis on boosting local production for both domestic use and export. Within this framework, intellectual property serves as a foundational pillar for investment promotion and protection.
A modern IP ecosystem shields local producers from counterfeiting, gives farmers, manufacturers, miners, creatives, and SMEs confidence to commercialize innovations, strengthens brand identity and recognition in global markets, and supports geographical indications that celebrate Zimbabwean heritage and product excellence.
Strong IP protection ensures that Zimbabwean enterprises — from small craft producers to high-tech start-ups — can compete fairly on the world stage. It allows local effort to generate local value while enhancing Zimbabwe’s standing as a source of authentic, high-quality products.
Zimbabwe’s International Trade and Investment Promotion Policy positions the country as a competitive producer and exporter, as well as a secure destination for foreign investment.
No investor is willing to deploy advanced technologies or technical know-how in a market where intellectual property is not protected. Likewise, local businesses cannot thrive if innovations or brands are vulnerable to imitation or counterfeiting.
A well-functioning IP system enhances global consumer trust in Zimbabwean goods, boosts investor confidence in the safety of their technology and innovations, and raises the country’s visibility as an emerging hub for creative, scientific, and industrial output.
By safeguarding its IP environment, Zimbabwe strengthens its economic diplomacy and reinforces its commitment to transparency, fair competition, and rule-based trade.
Ensuring No One and No Place Is Left Behind
The mantra “leaving no one and no place behind” finds strong expression in Zimbabwe’s approach to intellectual property. Through the Education, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation pillar of foreign policy, the Government continues to expand IP awareness and skills across universities, schools, innovation hubs, and rural communities.
Dr. Daren Tang’s visit aims to raise awareness of IP issues and foster cooperation with local players in IP protection. Already, with WIPO’s support — from digital IP systems to training programs, IP Clubs, and creative economy development — Zimbabwe has been democratizing its IP ecosystem.
A child in Chivhu with a breakthrough idea, a farmer in Hwedza with a unique seed variety, or a musician in Gweru with a distinctive sound deserves the same level of IP protection as large corporations.
An inclusive IP system ensures that every talent, every invention, and every creative effort contributes to national development.
Zimbabwe’s collaboration with WIPO continues to expand, characterized by the digitization and modernization of national IP services, implementation of the National IP Policy, programs to grow the creative and cultural industries, and capacity-building initiatives across schools, universities, and innovation ecosystems.
These initiatives reinforce Zimbabwe’s commitment to building a forward-looking, innovation-driven economy.
Looking Ahead
As Zimbabwe deepens international relationships and attracts world-class investment, it remains equally committed to protecting the creativity of its people. Intellectual property is becoming a cornerstone of this economic transformation — a tool for empowerment, a driver of industrial growth, and a magnet for technological partnership.
Dr. Daren Tang’s visit is both a recognition of Zimbabwe’s progress and a reaffirmation of global confidence in its innovation pathway. It echoes the national philosophy that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” — but this vision succeeds only when the intellectual output of Zimbabweans is safeguarded from piracy, misappropriation, and exploitation.
With a modern IP framework and a commitment to inclusive innovation, Zimbabwe is building a future where creativity flourishes, investment thrives, and every citizen contributes to — and benefits from — the journey toward national prosperity.
Written by Mr. Ndudzo Tugwete, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official positions of the Government of Zimbabwe or The Southern African Times.
