Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE 23rd Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference comes at a pivotal moment for Zimbabwe’s economic transformation agenda. As the ruling party prepares to assess progress made under the Second Republic and map the road towards Vision 2030, the focus is increasingly shifting from policy formulation to implementation.
Scheduled for October at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) in Mashonaland West Province, the conference will run under the theme: “From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Empowerment Towards Vision 2030.”
The theme sends a clear message. The time for adopting resolutions alone is no longer enough. What matters now is whether those resolutions translate into tangible outcomes such as higher production, increased investment, stronger industries, more jobs and improved household incomes.
As provinces prepare to table their resolutions, there is another important consideration. Zimbabwe is also set to host the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government Summit in October and assume the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
The summit will be held under the theme: “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA.”
The coincidence of these two major events presents Zimbabwe with a unique opportunity. The economic resolutions emerging from the Zanu-PF conference should not only address domestic priorities, but also complement the three pillars underpinning the COMESA Summit theme: inclusive industrialisation, investment and regional integration.
This does not mean the conference should become a COMESA gathering. Rather, it underscores the need for Zimbabwe’s domestic economic agenda and its regional responsibilities to move in the same direction.
After all, Zimbabwe cannot credibly champion industrialisation, investment and regional integration on the regional stage if these priorities are not firmly rooted in its own development programme.
The challenge, therefore, is for the conference to adopt practical resolutions that advance Vision 2030 while giving concrete expression to the pillars that will shape Zimbabwe’s COMESA chairmanship.
From Resolutions to Results
The conference theme perhaps provides the clearest indication of the direction the ruling party intends to take.
Around the world, governments and political parties have produced countless policies, resolutions and development blueprints. Yet success has always been measured not by what is written on paper, but by what is achieved on the ground.
A resolution that remains unimplemented has little value.
This is why the phrase “From Resolutions to Results” deserves particular attention. It places implementation at the centre of national discourse.
For Zimbabwe, economic resolutions must increasingly be judged by outcomes. Do they lead to new factories? Do they create jobs? Do they attract investment? Do they increase exports? Do they strengthen value chains? Do they improve productivity? Most importantly, do they help Zimbabwean businesses compete in regional markets?
These are the questions that should guide deliberations at the conference.
The Second Republic, under President Mnangagwa, has prioritised economic transformation through infrastructure development, agricultural modernisation, mining growth, value addition, industrial revival and empowerment programmes.
The next phase, however, requires an even sharper focus on competitiveness and markets.
That is where COMESA becomes particularly relevant.
Inclusive Industrialisation
The first pillar of the COMESA theme is inclusive industrialisation.
For Zimbabwe, industrialisation must go beyond reviving large manufacturing plants in traditional industrial centres. It must involve building value chains across agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, energy, technology and other productive sectors.
Zimbabwe is richly endowed with natural resources, yet one of its longstanding challenges has been retaining more value from those resources. The emphasis on value addition and beneficiation must therefore remain central to economic policy.
A country blessed with mineral wealth should not be content with exporting raw materials when opportunities exist to create industries and jobs locally.
The same principle applies to agriculture. Greater value is realised when agricultural production is linked to processing, packaging, manufacturing, logistics and export markets.
Importantly, industrialisation should not be pursued solely for the domestic market. Zimbabwean firms must increasingly produce with regional markets in mind.
Whether manufacturing food products, fertiliser, pharmaceuticals, clothing, machinery or construction materials, local industries should view the wider COMESA market as a significant growth opportunity.
To achieve this, long-standing constraints such as high production costs, limited access to finance, energy shortages, infrastructure gaps, obsolete equipment, skills deficits and the cost of doing business must continue to be addressed.
If Zimbabwe is to fully benefit from COMESA, its industries must be competitive.
Investment as a Catalyst
The second pillar is investment.
Industrialisation cannot occur without capital. Factories require financing. Infrastructure requires investment. Technology adoption requires funding. Agricultural value chains require capital. Small and medium enterprises need affordable finance to grow.
Creating a competitive investment environment must therefore remain a national priority.
The conference’s economic resolutions should reinforce the importance of policy consistency, efficient institutions, quality infrastructure, access to finance and a business environment that encourages long-term investment.
Zimbabwe’s forthcoming COMESA chairmanship also presents an opportunity to market the country as an investment destination.
Rather than viewing the summit purely as a diplomatic event, Zimbabwe should use it to showcase opportunities across mining, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, tourism, infrastructure and technology.
The summit can serve as a gateway for investment partnerships.
This is where domestic policy and regional diplomacy intersect. The conference can strengthen the investment environment while the COMESA chairmanship provides a platform to market those opportunities.
Regional Integration
The third pillar, regional integration, may offer the greatest long-term opportunity.
The idea behind “One Market, One Future” is simple: countries can unlock greater economic potential by lowering barriers to trade and strengthening regional value chains.
For Zimbabwe, regional integration should result in stronger exports, wider markets and deeper economic linkages with neighbouring countries.
However, regional integration must extend beyond meetings and declarations.
A manufacturer in Bulawayo should be able to sell products in Zambia, Malawi and other COMESA markets with minimal barriers.
Farmers should be integrated into regional value chains. Technology firms should provide services beyond Zimbabwe’s borders. Mining companies should connect with regional manufacturing networks.
That is the practical meaning of integration.
Economic resolutions should therefore encourage policies that expand export capacity and improve access to regional markets.
Achieving this also requires continued investment in roads, railways, border posts, energy systems and digital infrastructure.
Zimbabwe’s strategic location positions it to become a key trade and logistics hub linking Southern and Eastern Africa. That advantage should be fully exploited.
A Strategic Convergence
The timing of the Zanu-PF conference and the COMESA Summit presents a rare strategic convergence.
One is a major domestic political and policy event. The other is a significant regional economic gathering.
Yet both are centred on the same fundamental question: how can Zimbabwe accelerate economic growth and improve the lives of its people?
The answer increasingly lies in connecting domestic production with regional opportunity.
The conference should therefore adopt economic resolutions that are not only ambitious, but practical and implementable.
The focus must be on moving from resolutions to results; from policy pronouncements to factories, from empowerment programmes to productive enterprises, from raw materials to value-added products and from domestic production to regional exports.
As Zimbabwe prepares to assume the COMESA chairmanship, it has a rare opportunity to align its domestic economic transformation agenda with its regional leadership role.
Ultimately, the success of both the conference and the chairmanship will not be measured by the quality of speeches, resolutions or declarations. It will be measured by their ability to stimulate production, attract investment, expand markets, deepen empowerment and create jobs.
That is the true meaning of moving from resolutions to results. And it is the opportunity Zimbabwe must seize as it charts its course towards Vision 2030.
