With Expo 2025 Osaka fast approaching, Zimbabwe is laying the groundwork to leverage the global event as a catalyst for trade, tourism, and investment. The country’s Commissioner General for the Zimbabwe Pavilion, Allan Majuru, has expressed optimism about Zimbabwe’s participation, emphasizing its potential to reshape the nation’s economic ties, particularly with Japan and other global markets.
In an interview Majuru said Zimbabwe’s preparations were on track, with the country’s pavilion designed to showcase its natural endowments, cultural heritage, and economic opportunities. The six-month-long event, set to run from April 13 to October 13, 2025, is expected to draw over 20 million visitors from across the business, political, and economic spectrum.
“We have had our final meeting before the event starts, and everything is progressing according to plan,” Majuru said. “The organizers have provided us with the necessary support to ensure that Zimbabwe puts its best foot forward. Our focus is clear: we are here to promote trade, tourism, and investment, and we are confident that by the end of the expo, we will have secured substantial gains for Zimbabwe.”
A Strategic Push for Economic Growth
Zimbabwe’s presence at Expo 2025 Osaka aligns with the country’s broader strategy of export-led growth, a policy aimed at expanding annual export revenues from $7 billion in 2023 to $14 billion by 2030. The government is positioning the expo as a critical platform to attract investors and foster stronger trade relations, particularly with Japan—a country that has long maintained diplomatic and economic ties with Zimbabwe but with relatively low trade volumes.
In 2023, Zimbabwe exported goods worth $680.83 million to Japan, primarily in the form of non-iron and steel slag, raw tobacco, and stone. Imports from Japan, including vehicles, machinery, and chemicals, stood at just $20.47 million, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database. Majuru believes Expo 2025 offers a unique opportunity to bridge this trade imbalance and attract Japanese investment into key Zimbabwean industries, including mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.
“We recognize that trade volumes with Japan remain low, but that is precisely why we are here,” he said. “Japan is a global leader in technology, and we want to create partnerships that allow for value addition to our raw materials. For example, Japan imports Zimbabwean petalite for pottery, but we want them to not just source from us but to invest in value addition within Zimbabwe itself.”
Building on the Success of Expo 2020 Dubai
Zimbabwe’s participation at Expo 2025 Osaka follows its successful engagement at Expo 2020 Dubai, which was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That event proved to be a turning point for Zimbabwe’s trade relations with the United Arab Emirates, which emerged as the country’s second-largest trading partner after South Africa.
Before 2018, the UAE was not even among Zimbabwe’s top 10 export destinations. However, following the trade promotion efforts at Expo 2020, Zimbabwe’s exports to the UAE surged from just $96 million in 2014 to $1.9 billion in 2023. Imports from the UAE also climbed to $227.9 million in the same period.
Majuru hopes to replicate this success in Osaka, using the expo to showcase Zimbabwe’s untapped investment potential to Japanese businesses and policymakers.
“This is a platform for us to market the country effectively,” he said. “Japan is the host nation, and it is essential that we take full advantage of this opportunity. We are not just looking at short-term gains; we want to lay the foundation for long-term trade and investment partnerships.”
Culture, Technology, and Innovation at the Forefront
In addition to economic opportunities, Zimbabwe is placing significant emphasis on promoting its cultural heritage at Expo 2025. Majuru revealed that Zimbabwean sculptors, artists, and performers would be present at the pavilion, offering visitors a first-hand experience of the nation’s rich artistic traditions.
“Culture is a critical part of our identity, and we want to tell our story through music, dance, and art,” he said. “Our renowned stone sculptors will demonstrate their craft, and we hope to create new markets for Zimbabwean heritage-based products.”
Technology will also be a focal point, with Zimbabwe looking to learn from Japan’s advancements in areas such as industrial automation and infrastructure development. Majuru highlighted Japan’s innovative approach to construction, which prioritizes technology over conventional brick-and-mortar methods, as an area of interest.
“We want to see how we can adapt Japanese innovations to our own needs,” he explained. “This is not just about trade; it’s about knowledge exchange and finding ways to accelerate our own industrial development.”
Overcoming Economic Challenges
Zimbabwe’s ambitious plans at Expo 2025 come at a time when the country is grappling with economic hurdles, including the impact of an El Niño-induced drought that has affected agricultural production. However, the government has rolled out strategies to climate-proof agriculture, and initiatives such as horticultural exports—largely dependent on irrigation—have continued to thrive, recording a 10 percent growth in 2023.
Majuru remains confident that Zimbabwe’s participation at Expo 2025 will yield tangible economic benefits, providing a much-needed boost to exports and foreign direct investment.
“The key is consistency and adaptability,” he said. “We have learned from past global exhibitions, and we are using that knowledge to refine our strategy. Zimbabwe is open for business, and Osaka 2025 will be a launchpad for greater economic collaboration.”
