The Successes and challenges of Zimbabwe's economic diplomacy since 2017

Abstract

This study examines the successes and challenges of Zimbabwe’s economic diplomacy since the 2017 political transition. It assesses how the government’s re-engagement agenda, expressed through the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” policy, Vision 2030, NDS1, investment promotion, regional integration and renewed engagement with international financial institutions, has influenced foreign direct investment, trade performance and international economic relations. The study is located within economic diplomacy theory, institutional theory and political economy perspectives, which together show that diplomatic outreach produces durable economic outcomes only when supported by domestic policy coherence, macroeconomic stability and institutional credibility. Methodologically, the study adopted an interpretivist qualitative case-study design, using semi-structured interviews with twelve key informants from government, diplomacy, business, academia and international organisations, supported by document analysis of policy, investment and macroeconomic reports. The findings indicate that Zimbabwe’s economic diplomacy has achieved important symbolic and relational successes, particularly by improving international visibility, reopening diplomatic channels, promoting investment opportunities, and strengthening participation in SADC and AfCFTA frameworks. However, these gains have not translated into sustained foreign direct investment, broad export expansion or strong investor confidence. Currency volatility, debt arrears, policy inconsistency, weak coordination, infrastructure constraints, governance concerns and limited productive capacity continue to undermine diplomatic efforts. The study concludes that Zimbabwe’s economic diplomacy has created useful external opportunities, but its effectiveness remains constrained by domestic structural weaknesses. It recommends stronger institutional coordination, credible macroeconomic reforms, export diversification, infrastructure improvement and policy consistency to convert diplomatic engagement into measurable economic transformation.