Robin Muchetu in Osaka, Japan
VICE President Kembo Mohadi has called on Zimbabwe to embrace and replicate cutting-edge technologies showcased at the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, saying the country must learn from industrially-advanced nations to drive innovation, waste management and sustainable development.
Speaking after touring the Japanese and Saudi pavilions, VP Mohadi said the technological advancements on display offered practical solutions to many challenges facing Zimbabwe, particularly in waste recycling, renewable energy and water purification.
“What impressed me most is how they are degrading plastic, which we consider a problem back home. Here, they can turn it into new, useful materials and they even use algae to purify water,” he said.
“We have plenty of it in our rivers, but we are not using it productively. This is the kind of technology we must adopt.”
Speaking after touring the Japanese and Saudi pavilions, VP Mohadi said the technological advancements on display offered practical solutions to many challenges facing Zimbabwe, particularly in waste recycling, renewable energy and water purification.
The Vice President said Zimbabwe should take advantage of global platforms such as the World Expos to identify transformative technologies and integrate them into the country’s heritage-based Education 5.0 model, which prioritises innovation and industrialisation.
“We must send more students, tutors and professors abroad to learn these technologies so they can transfer the knowledge back home. The waste we throw away can actually generate energy, clean water and new products. We must stop wasting opportunities,” said VP Mohadi.
He cited a Ndebele proverb – “Induku enhele iganyulwa ezizweni” – meaning wisdom is gathered from other nations, to stress the importance of international exposure and cooperation in building modern economies.
“If you don’t travel and see what others are doing, you limit your progress. What we have seen here has opened our eyes.
“We are seeing some of them, but not taking advantage of them fully,” said the Vice President.
“What we are calling waste can become wealth and innovation can come from what we call problems. There are new things that are being done that can be replicated back home. It is waste, but that same waste can generate electricity and water and many other things.”
VP Mohadi also toured the Saudi pavilion, where he was briefed on preparations for the next World Expo, to be hosted in Riyadh in 2030. Saudi officials shared their vision of turning the expo site into a global innovation hub featuring permanent pavilions, cultural exchange centres and over 55 000 residential units.
“Saudi Arabia showed us what they can do and the preparations that they were making for the next expo, which will be in 2030.
“They are the next destination from here. Their technology is more advanced than ours,” he said.
The representatives from Saudi Arabia said Expo 2025 Osaka has been a learning curve for them as they are taking notes.
They said they have visited many pavilions during the expo and gave an account of their experience so that they can take notes on how they can hold their expo.
“We are anticipating 192 countries to join us in the expo and in addition to that, 29 non-country participants from non-governmental organisations and corporates.
“We want to build something that will last,” said a Saudi representative.
“We have a plan for the legacy, we are inviting countries that want to self-build their pavilions to build something permanent and repurpose that pavilion after the expo and have a constant presence with us in Riyadh.”
Zimbabwe has been officially invited to participate in the Riyadh Expo 2030, which VP Mohadi said will be another opportunity for the country to project its innovation drive and cultural identity to the world.
The Vice President exchanged symbolic gifts with his Japanese and Saudi hosts, including a sculpture of elephants and a replica of the Great Zimbabwe conical tower, reinforcing the theme of cultural exchange and international friendship.
He also signed the visitors’ books for both Japan and Saudi Arabia. Japan and Saudi Arabia also collaborated on an artwork that was exhibited at the Saudi Arabian pavilion.
The Saudi Arabian delegation told VP Mohadi that the site of the 2030 expo will cover a total area of two square kilometres, with an additional four square kilometres that will serve as logistical and support space during the expo. They showed him a master plan of the site that was being exhibited at the expo.
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