Bulawayo set to host another key economic summit

Bulawayo is set to host another key economic summit next month when the National Competitiveness Commission (NCC) convenes its second Competitiveness Summit, with preparations for the high-level indaba now in full swing.

The summit will be held from September 15 to 16 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC).

Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi is expected to preside over the summit.

The summit will run under the theme, “Accelerating Regulatory Reforms and Ease of Doing Business for a Dynamic and Competitive Zimbabwean Economy.”

The summit is expected to bring together Government, the private sector, academia, development partners and other key stakeholders to deliberate on reforms needed to strengthen Zimbabwe’s domestic, regional and international competitiveness.

The gathering comes as Bulawayo continues to consolidate its position as a key venue for national economic and business policy dialogue, following a series of major conferences and exhibitions held in the city.

The inaugural Competitiveness Summit was held in Bulawayo last year and identified regulatory challenges as some of the major constraints affecting business efficiency and national competitiveness.

“The Summit builds on the resolutions of the inaugural Competitiveness Summit, which Identified Zimbabwe’s fragmented and burdensome regulatory environment as a major cost driver affecting business operations and national competitiveness,” said the NCC.

Established under Chapter 14:36, the NCC operates under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and is responsible for driving policy reforms to enhance Zimbabwe’s domestic, regional and global competitiveness in line with Vision 2030.

This year’s summit will focus on practical measures to improve the regulatory environment and ease the cost of doing business, while also examining emerging issues shaping industrial productivity.

“Key areas of discussion will include SMART Regulations, regulations that Streamlined, Meaningful, Adaptable, Relevant and Transparent, together with Regulatory Impact Assessment, and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) and Artificial Intelligence in shaping industrial productivity and national competitiveness,” said the NCC.

The focus on SMART Regulations and Regulatory Impact Assessment comes as Zimbabwe continues to pursue reforms aimed at creating a more predictable and business-friendly operating environment.

The summit will also examine the role of ESG considerations and Artificial Intelligence in strengthening industrial productivity and positioning Zimbabwean businesses to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

The NCC said the event would draw on regional and international expertise, with deliberations expected to culminate in a 2026 Competitiveness Call to Action.

“The Summit will also draw on regional and international expertise and is expected to produce a 2026 Competitiveness Call to Action aimed at consolidating and improving the competitiveness of Zimbabwean goods and services in domestic, regional and international markets,” added NCC.

The proposed call to action is expected to help translate summit resolutions into practical measures for improving the competitiveness of Zimbabwean goods and services.

The NCC has since invited academia, the private sector, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Government, development partners, civil society, local authorities, research think tanks and the media, among other stakeholders, to participate in the summit.

The broad stakeholder participation is expected to ensure that the competitiveness agenda reflects the realities and requirements of different sectors of the economy.

Hosting the summit provides another opportunity for Bulawayo to showcase its role as an industrial and commercial centre while contributing to national conversations on economic transformation.

The city has in recent years hosted major business, mining, manufacturing, tourism and investment events, reinforcing its position as a strategic platform for economic engagement.

The NCC said the success of Zimbabwe’s competitiveness agenda would ultimately depend on translating policy commitments into concrete reforms.

“Zimbabwe’s competitiveness will depend on effective implementation, institutional coordination, innovation and sustained efforts to remove barriers to productive enterprise,” said the NCC.

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