Online Reporter
Lincoln Towindo in BULAWAYO
A HIGH-LEVEL Zimbabwe-Botswana business forum on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair has been organised by ZimTrade in partnership with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency and the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre.
About 40 Botswana firms are expected to participate as the two countries step up efforts to boost trade and investment.
The business forum, slated for Friday, is being held under the broader framework of the Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission, which seeks to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment and industrial development.
“The forum also reflects the shared commitment by Zimbabwe and Botswana to move beyond dialogue and towards practical trade facilitation, with a focus on increasing bilateral trade, strengthening regional value chains and promoting shared economic growth and prosperity,” said ZimTrade in a statement.
The event will bring together Government officials, businesses, buyers and business-support organisations from both countries to explore opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation.
ZimTrade chief executive officer Mr Allan Majuru said the platform was part of a broader push to drive tangible outcomes from bilateral engagements. “We expect this event to build on existing momentum by creating measurable commercial outcomes, fostering new partnerships, and unlocking trade opportunities for businesses from both nations.”
The forum comes as part of ongoing collaboration between ZimTrade and Botswana Investment and Trade Centre under a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting and expanding trade between the two countries.
A total of 40 Botswana companies are participating in the broader initiative, with 18 firms already exhibiting at ZITF, while the rest of the delegation is expected to take part in the business forum to explore new markets and partnerships in Zimbabwe.
The Botswana delegation spans multiple sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods, industrial goods, textiles, engineering products and services, highlighting opportunities for cross-border trade and industrial collaboration.
ZimTrade said the diversity of sectors represented was expected to create opportunities for Zimbabwean companies to engage potential buyers, suppliers and investors across value chains.
Ahead of the forum, early engagements between Zimbabwean and Botswana firms at exhibition stands have already signalled growing interest in cross-border trade. “These early engagements are helping to create momentum towards more structured business meetings and potential transactions between companies from Zimbabwe and Botswana during and after the forum,” ZimTrade said.
