Vice President Kembo Mohadi has called on Zimbabwe to actively adopt and replicate the cutting-edge technologies on display at the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, describing them as essential for driving innovation, waste management, renewable energy, and sustainable development in the country.
Speaking after visiting the Japanese and Saudi pavilions at the global exhibition, VP Mohadi said the innovations presented offered practical solutions to some of Zimbabwe’s most pressing challenges. He singled out advances in waste recycling, renewable energy generation, and water purification as areas where Zimbabwe could greatly benefit.
“What impressed me most is how they are degrading plastic — something we consider a huge problem back home,” he said. “Here, they can turn it into new, useful materials, and they even use algae to purify water. We have plenty of it in our rivers, but we are not using it productively. This is exactly the kind of technology we must adopt.”
VP Mohadi emphasised that platforms like the World Expos present valuable opportunities for Zimbabwe to learn from technologically advanced nations and integrate those lessons into national development strategies. He called on the country to incorporate these ideas into Zimbabwe’s 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,” VP Mohadi said. “The waste we throw away can actually generate energy, clean water, and create new products. We must stop wasting opportunities.”
He quoted a Ndebele proverb — “Induku enhele iganyulwa ezizweni” — meaning “wisdom is gathered from other nations,” to stress the importance of exposure, learning, and international cooperation in building modern economies.
VP Kembo Mohadi Urges Zimbabwe to Adopt Innovative Technologies Showcased at Expo 2025 Osaka
“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 these solutions, but we are not yet taking full advantage of them,” he said.
“What we call waste can become wealth. Innovation can come from problems. There are new methods that can be replicated back home. Waste can generate electricity, clean water, and many other useful resources.”
During his visit, VP Mohadi toured the Saudi Arabian pavilion, where officials briefed him on preparations for the next World Expo, scheduled for Riyadh in 2030. Saudi Arabia plans to transform the expo site into a permanent global innovation hub, complete with cultural exchange centres, over 55,000 residential units, and lasting infrastructure.
VP Mohadi described the Saudi presentation as an inspiring example of long-term planning.
“Saudi Arabia showed us what they can do and the preparations they are making for the 2030 expo. Their technology is more advanced than ours,” he said.
Saudi representatives told VP Mohadi that the Riyadh Expo will host 192 countries and include 29 non-country participants such as NGOs and corporates. They outlined plans for a lasting legacy, offering countries the option to build permanent pavilions that could remain as centres of cultural and technological exchange beyond the event.
“Expo 2030 will not just be an event, but a sustained platform for innovation, culture, and global collaboration,” a Saudi official said. “We are inviting nations to partner with us to build something that lasts.”
Zimbabwe has officially been invited to participate in the Riyadh Expo 2030, a prospect VP Mohadi described as a strategic opportunity for the country to showcase its innovation drive and cultural heritage on the world stage.
At the pavilions, VP Mohadi exchanged symbolic gifts with his Japanese and Saudi hosts, including a sculpture of elephants and a replica of the Great Zimbabwe conical tower. These gestures reinforced the spirit of cultural exchange and international friendship that underpins the World Expo experience. He also signed the visitors’ books of both nations as a gesture of goodwill.
The Saudi delegation shared detailed plans for the Expo 2030 site, which will cover two square kilometres with an additional four square kilometres allocated for logistical and support purposes. A master plan of the site was on display, showcasing ambitious designs for a permanent innovation centre.
VP Mohadi’s visit to Expo 2025 Osaka underscores his belief that Zimbabwe must take decisive steps to learn from global leaders in technology and sustainable development. His call to action is clear: the nation must adopt proven solutions, invest in education and capacity-building, and embrace innovation as a driver of growth.
“What we have witnessed here is proof that the future is built through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the willingness to adapt,” VP Mohadi said. “We must take these lessons home and make them part of Zimbabwe’s path to sustainable development.”
Source- Herald
