Bulawayo gears up for BEDCON 2026

THE City of Bulawayo has begun preparations for the second edition of the Bulawayo Economic Development Conference (BEDCON 2026), as the local authority intensifies efforts to drive inclusive, equitable and resilient economic growth.

The conference, scheduled for August, will be held alongside the City of Bulawayo Research and Innovation Seminar (COBRIS) 2026, in a move aimed at strengthening the interface between policy, research and enterprise.

Council has since invited contributions from policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, innovators and practitioners aligned with the conference’s thematic pillars, signalling a broad-based and collaborative approach to economic transformation.

Running under the theme, “The implementation imperative: Delivering sustainable prosperity through collaborative industry,” the conference is expected to convene key stakeholders from Government, business, academia, civil society and development partners.

According to the council, the platform will focus on practical and actionable strategies that can unlock Bulawayo’s economic potential while fostering strategic partnerships.

“The goal is to generate practical solutions for promoting inclusive, equitable, and resilient economic growth in the city,” reads part of the conference brief.

BEDCON 2026 will be structured around six key pillars, namely Governance, Policy and Ease of Doing Business, Entrepreneurship, MSME Growth and Access to Finance, Economic Devolution and Multi-Sector Collaboration; Infrastructure and Workspace Security,

Innovation, Intellectual Property and Sustainable Industry as well as Market Access and Global Competitiveness.
Through these focus areas, the city aims to position Bulawayo as a dynamic hub where policy, research and enterprise converge to drive sustainable development and industrial revival.