Tinotenda Hove – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has once again urged Zimbabweans living abroad to pump money into the country, pushing the housing sector as government scrambles for cash amid a deepening economic crisis.

Speaking in Baku, Azerbaijan, on the margins of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum, Chiwenga met Zimbabweans in the diaspora and tried to sell them on the idea of backing government’s infrastructure and urban projects.

He told them their skills and experience were “indispensable,” while admitting that the state had only recently started trying to track them.

“I realise that you represent a diverse spectrum of disciplines that include education, international relations, business, science and medicine, each of which is indispensable to the advancement of our country,” Chiwenga said. “As you are aware, Zimbabwe has already taken decisive steps under the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development with the launch of the Retired Experts and Skills Database in December 2025. The Ministry works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to come up with a database of Zimbabweans in the diaspora.”

Chiwenga insisted government was working to make the country attractive for investment, pointing to ongoing Ease of Doing Business reforms. He claimed the state wanted Zimbabweans abroad to “use their skills and experiences gained, and together we can build a stronger, more prosperous Zimbabwe.”

He also said the embassy in Moscow would cover Azerbaijan and appoint a trade attaché to “promote trade, facilitate investment and coordinate diaspora engagement.”

The appeal comes as the economy continues to struggle with inflation, currency instability, and a lack of investor confidence. Government data shows diaspora remittances hit over $2.5 billion last year, making them one of Zimbabwe’s biggest sources of foreign currency.

Some Zimbabweans in Azerbaijan said they were willing to help, but framed it as an opportunity for the state to tap into skills it has failed to retain.

“This country has a lot of potential for Zimbabwe to benefit in areas like beef, horticulture, tea and tobacco to the extent that if Zimbabwe explores this market in terms of the commodities that I have mentioned, Zimbabwe really stands to benefit,” said Predict Mutepfe, founder of the Africa Caucasus Forum Azerbaijan. “So our proposal is a platform to document our skills that we have for Zimbabwe to tap into all countries where its people are located can contribute to the nation’s skills retention base.”

Reserve Bank figures show remittances are now the country’s second-largest source of foreign currency, underlining how much the state depends on citizens it once pushed to leave.