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Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
CABINET ministers will join mining technocrats in Bulawayo this week to discuss growth opportunities and prospects during the Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) expo that begins at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds tomorrow. The ministers will engage in dialogue with more than 300 local and international delegates on policy issues and factors affecting the mining sector.
Finance and Economic Development Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Walter Chidhakwa, his deputy Fred Moyo and permanent secretary Francis Gudyanga and Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha, are among the key speakers.
Also expected to attend is the president of the Chiefs’ Council, Fortune Charumbira, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe president, Toindepi Muganyi and Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president, Busisa Moyo.
Chidhakwa will officially open the event on Thursday.
The ZITF Company said the conference would address topical issues focusing on socio-economic growth of the nation and region as a whole.
These include — fiscal incentives to support mining linkages and overall growth of the mining sector, empowerment models that support linkages and community development, mining policy perspective, mining and local economic development, optimal enablers to maximise mining linkages policies, energy, and infrastructure, capital and investment inflows.
ZITF said the convention would also explore the capacity of the local manufacturing industry to tackle challenges and seek solutions to evaluate implications on the mining sector.
Increasing local procurement and capabilities in the mining sector focusing on issues and considerations, mining company experience on empowering communities through local projects and procurement initiatives, will take centre stage.
Focus will also be on supplier company experience in reviving capacity to supply the mining sector and harnessing the potential of local procurement. About 147 exhibitors have confirmed participation in the specialised expo with 84 percent of the available exhibition space having already been taken.
Mine Entra is a specialised, international exhibition which caters for the mutually compatible sectors of mining, engineering and transport and their associated industries.
Mid-year timing is for maximum convenience and corresponds to the industry’s main buying and tendering period.
The event ends on Friday.
Online Reporter