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The historic 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) ended at the weekend and it is our fervent hope that the exhibitors, both local and foreign, benefited from the week-long business interactions. Zimbabwe’s international trade showcase this year attracted a record 532 direct local exhibitors and 16 countries.
The increased number of exhibitors to ZITF as we have said before, is a confirmation of both local and foreign business’ growing confidence in Zimbabwe’s economy. Zimbabwean companies were, during the business week, afforded an opportunity to showcase what they produce and were also exposed to products from the different countries that participated at this year’s fair.
We believe a number of companies both local and foreign clinched business deals or opened negotiations for future discussions during the five-day business engagement. Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who officially opened the fair on Friday, has said his country is keen to partner Zimbabwe so that the two countries can unlock Zimbabwe’s huge potential in value addition and beneficiation.
He invited President Mnangagwa to Kampala for further economic discussions to benefit the two countries. President Museveni noted that Zimbabwe is endowed with natural resources that include a wide range of minerals that could be used as raw materials for the manufacturing industries as opposed to exporting them.
Zimbabwean companies, we want to believe, have moved to another level after this year’s successful trade fair and the challenge now is to build on the momentum.
We want to see more companies expanding and exporting their products to the different countries that have shown interest in trading with us by participating at this year’s fair.
Zimbabwe is obviously now a tourist destination of choice to the foreign exhibitors and visitors to this year’s fair as they experienced the country’s hospitality during their stay.
We have no doubt that our foreign guests to this year’s fair are our new ambassadors who will assist us to correct the negative perception of Zimbabwe as a tourist destination. Many of our visitors, who for years had been subjected to negative stories about Zimbabwe, should have been shocked to find a totally different environment.
We want to once again implore the different sectors of our economy to fully exploit the opportunities availed by this year’s historic trade fair.
Online Reporter