CLOTHING and food retailer Woolworths wants to open up a store in Zimbabwe within 18 months to take advantage of a recovering economic and political environment in the country.

"We are going to re-open. We think Zimbabwe is going to be fantastic economy in five years time," said outgoing CEO Simon Susman.

"We are negotiating leases with shopping centres ... I want to go up and start trading within the next 18 months."

The chain used to have a branch in Harare’s First Street Mall in the building now occupied by Kingdom Bank.

Reports suggest the company among several to have taken up space at the recently completed Joina Centre, Harare’s largest commercial building.

A number of global chains, including McDonalds have indicated interest in moving into Zimbabwe, attracted by the country’s improving economic prospects.

The decision to ditch the Zimbabwe dollar, primarily helped end the hyperinflation experienced over the last decade while political tensions have also eased since the formation of the inclusive government.

Meanwhile, Susman said the group, which also operates in Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland, was looking at opportunities in the east African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as part of its Africa expansion plan.