Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
“ZIMBABWE the land of great opportunities,” is the message that the country is taking to the Dubai 2020 Expo which starts next month and is expected to have a global reach of 21 million people.
The global expo was expected to be held last year but was postponed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
It will run from October 1 this year to March 31, 2022.
Dubai Expo 2020 is running under the theme: “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” The country’s theme will be: “Zimbabwe the land of great opportunities.”
Addressing delegates during the International Business Conference yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade official Ms Beatrice Mtetwa said the country was raring to make a global impact having successfully registered for Dubai Expo 2020 in 2018.
She said 192 countries are expected to participate during the expo.
“The key objective and goals of Zimbabwe’s participation are to promote brand Zimbabwe and the country’s Vision 2030 to promote trade investment in key sectors of the economy, as well as attract more visitors to Zimbabwe. To promote top brands, goods and services and technological innovations that have impacted the livelihoods of Zimbabweans. To seek, source markets and opportunities for technology transfer, tourism, investment and human capital capacity development,” she said.
Ms Mtetwa said the country will also showcase Zimbabwe’s rich human capital through exhibiting some of its innovations and solutions to global challenges.
She said among other things, the country will showcase its natural resources and the aspirations of its people.
“The key messages will be on the country’s undisputed vast opportunities, hence the proposed theme is: ‘Zimbabwe the land of great opportunities.’ They are going to be supporting commercial activities on the margins of the pavilion where local products will be sold. The products permitted to be sold include nonperishable food items, jewellery, artefacts and clothing items among other things. The selection of items to be sold are being identified by relevant ministries with the assistance of ZimTrade,” she said.
Ms Mtetwa said that even small and medium enterprises are expected to benefit from the expo.
She said the country will also showcase its culture during the expo.
Ms Mtetwa said a calendar for the expo has already been released detailing how it will run and includes a mining conference that has been slated for November. — @nqotshili
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