Dr Ted Nyatanga
By Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe has hosted a Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (ZAA) investment and diaspora forum in Harare on 29 August, 2025 under the theme :Diaspora Capital :Unlocking Africa’s Human and Financial Potential. The forum was held in partnership with the Ministry of lnformation and Broadcasting Services in Zimbabwe, the African Union African Development Bank and the lnternational Organization for Migration in Zimbabwe (UN Migration).
Dr Ted Nyatanga, Global Chair for the ZAA diaspora forum and global awards said there is a deep and powerful nostalgia in the moment. Nyatanga said the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards come back home to the soil that raised them. He said they are back to the heart that beats within every Zimbabwean, wherever they may be in the world. He said the return is not only symbolic, but is the sealing of a vision, the closing of a circle, and the beginning of an even greater journey.
According to Dr Nyatanga, for many years, the ZAA journeyed abroad celebrating their sons and daughters excelling in foreign lands, keeping alive the connection between the diaspora and home. He said as they anchor the Global Awards on Zimbabwean soil, they are not just hosting an event, but are welcoming their people back to the source of their belonging.
He said at the centre of the homecoming is the ZAA Diaspora Forum and Global Awards.Dr Nyatanga said the Diaspora Forum is more than a gathering; and is a premier platform for Zimbabwean expatriate engagement and a bridge between people abroad and their homeland. He said it recognizes what they already know, that their global family is not a loss to Zimbabwe, but a strength. He said through remittances, investments, knowledge transfer and skills development, the diaspora continues to contribute significantly to the country’s growth. He said the ZAA Diaspora Forum channels the energy into structured opportunities for collaboration, ensuring that geographical distance becomes not a barrier, but a multiplier of their collective potential.
Dr Nyatanga said hand in hand with this, the Global Awards celebrates the excellence of Zimbabweans across business, arts, education, healthcare, and community service. He said they inspire their youth through role models who prove that Zimbabwean talent can thrive anywhere, while still remaining rooted in home soil. He added that the awards elevate Zimbabwe’s profile on the world stage and strengthens the ties of identity, pride and heritage among their people everywhere.
He said the vision is only possible through partnership. Dr Nyatanga said guided by best practices from institutions such as the World Bank, ZAA has worked hand in hand with government and non-state actors like IOM to ensure diaspora contributions align with national priorities. He said through digital platforms, regional chapters, and targeted programmes they are creating consistent pathways for engagement where Zimbabweans abroad can invest, share skills, and remain actively involved without needing to physically relocate.
He said what it shows is powerful, that rebuilding the country cannot be left to a few. He said it requires all of the citizens, those at home and those abroad, coming together with unity, a sense of belonging, and a shared vision.
“And as we do this, we must not forget those who will carry this vision forward, the youth. They are our greatest asset, and we must empower them with opportunities, with platforms, and with belief. If we give them the tools, they will carry Zimbabwe onto the world stage not as a follower, but as a leader, “Dr Nyatanga said.
He said the ZAA Diaspora Forum and Global Awards serve not only as a celebration, but as a strategic mechanism, an instrument of unity, economic advancement, and cultural preservation.