Government realigns trade thrust to drive export growth

THE country’s trade thrust begins with strengthening domestic productive capacity before aggressively pursuing global markets, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Minister Professor Amon Murwira has said.

Addressing delegates at the recent ZimTrade Annual Exporters Conference in Bulawayo, held under the theme “Rooted Locally, Growing Globally,” Prof Murwira explained that Zimbabwe’s approach to international trade is grounded in a “simple, scientific reality”: production must precede export and export markets in turn drive production.

This strategy suggests that the country must first build a strong, reliable domestic manufacturing base before it can successfully compete in international markets, which in turn creates the demand necessary to scale up that domestic production.

“Through economic diplomacy, we are reconfiguring our diplomatic missions abroad into economic and commercial promotion hubs tasked with facilitating trade expansion, investment mobilisation and technology transfer,” said Prof Murwira.

“These missions must answer four fundamental questions to define the nexus between diplomacy and development: (1) What can Zimbabwe offer competitively to the world? (2) What can the world competitively offer to Zimbabwe? (3) What partnerships will enhance our production and trade systems? and (4) How do we ensure international co-operation results in tangible economic transformation at home?”

The conference theme captured Zimbabwe’s aspiration to build globally competitive industries anchored in the country’s rich natural resources, skilled human capital and innovative spirit. Delegates described the event as a call to action for stakeholders to harness local strengths and convert them into global opportunities.

Prof Murwira noted that Zimbabwe is undergoing a “profound structural shift” under an outward-looking reform agenda that prioritises value addition, beneficiation, and export diversification.

“Zimbabwe is undergoing a profound structural shift driven by an outward-looking and reform-minded approach that prioritises value addition, beneficiation and the diversification of export products and destinations, ensuring that our natural heritage yields higher returns to satisfy the basic human needs of food, shelter, water and innovation for all citizens.”

He stressed that trade is not an abstract policy lever, but the engine of national prosperity. “Trade serves as the lifeblood of modern prosperity, acting as the vital mechanism that converts Zimbabwe’s innovation, human capital and unique heritage into national wealth.”

At the centre of translating these strategic objectives into measurable outcomes is ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion organisation. Prof Murwira said ZimTrade plays a critical role in equipping exporters with market intelligence, facilitating participation in international exhibitions, strengthening buyer linkages and integrating enterprises from all provinces into the export ecosystem.

“In line with the President’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind, export growth must be inclusive, reaching rural communities, youth entrepreneurs, women-led enterprises and emerging industries.”

The Minister assured exporters that the Government remains committed to a stable and predictable foreign policy environment that supports business growth. He described Zimbabwe’s diplomatic approach as steady and consistent, likening it to the calm, deliberate movement of an elephant, unwavering despite external noise.

“Our yes must mean yes. Our no must mean no. That consistency builds trust and creates stable trade relationships,” he said.

Complementing the foreign policy thrust, Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said tangible progress is already being recorded in manufacturing, with exports rising steadily over the past seven years.

“When we look at the figures for manufactured exports, they tell a story of a sector that is steadily moving up the value chain. In 2018, manufactured exports stood at approximately US$310 million, with locally produced goods occupying just 53 percent of our retail shelf space and a capacity utilisation of 48,2 percent,” said Minister Ndlovu.

“Through a number of key Government interventions, manufactured exports rose to US$437 million in 2024 and further to US$571 million in 2025, representing a 41 percent and 30,6 percent increase, respectively.”

Capacity utilisation has climbed to about 57 percent in 2025, while locally produced goods now account for approximately 80 percent of retail shelf space. Although manufactured exports remain a modest share of total exports, Minister Ndlovu said the upward trajectory aligns with the Second Republic’s industrialisation thrust to shift from raw commodity exports to processed and manufactured goods.

“Today, approximately 80 percent of the goods on our shelves are produced locally. Our roots are deep and our branches are finally reaching across borders. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is not resting on these milestones,” he said.

“We are accelerating the implementation of our economic blueprint, the NDS2, which seeks to enhance value addition and structural transformation to reverse the trends of exporting raw material commodities. This will be augmented by our Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2, which will be launched soon. Our target is to increase manufactured exports to US$1 billion by 2027, creating new jobs in the process.”

To consolidate gains, the Government is strengthening local procurement through the Local Content Strategy and tightening regulatory oversight to enhance competitiveness.

“To ensure our industries remain rooted locally while growing globally, the Government is prioritising local procurement through the Local Content Strategy, mandating that Ministries, Departments and Agencies source materials from domestic suppliers,” the Minister explained.

“To enhance our global competitiveness, all new regulatory fees are now subject to Regulatory Impact Assessments by the National Competitiveness Commission to ensure we do not place undue burdens on home-grown businesses.”

Minister Ndlovu underscored that competitiveness in global markets hinges on quality assurance and technological modernisation.

“Quality and standards remain a prerequisite for our competitive advantage in the global market, and we are working through the Standards Association of Zimbabwe to ensure our companies meet international certification. We must also address the technological gap. In the era of artificial intelligence, our exporters must embrace automation and digital marketing to remain relevant.”

Despite the progress, he acknowledged that export composition remains heavily skewed toward raw and semi-processed commodities.

“The composition of exports in 2025 indicates that over 80 percent of our exports consisted of raw and semi-processed minerals and tobacco. We are putting in place measures to increase our value-addition capacity under a Whole-of-Government Approach, which will soon be presented to Cabinet. This includes the domestication of fertiliser production and the strengthening of various agro-value chains including sugar, dairy and leather.”

Deliberations at the conference culminated in a raft of resolutions aimed at reinforcing the ministers’ policy direction. Delegates stressed the need to create a conducive operating environment, resolving to “improve regulatory and policy coherence to enhance competitiveness, including ease of doing business and currency stability.”

A major highlight was the renewed focus on heritage-based exports. Participants resolved to support businesses in developing strong and competitive brands and to promote research and product development to improve the quality, durability and market appeal of heritage-based products. Zimbabwe’s crafts, traditional foods, textiles, art, and natural products were identified as high-potential export segments if backed by modern research, innovation and branding systems.

In addition, stakeholders resolved to ensure that Zimbabwean products are certified for international markets, as certification enhances market access, reduces non-tariff barriers and builds consumer confidence.

Taken together, the positions articulated by Prof Murwira and Minister Ndlovu reflect a co-ordinated strategy in which production capacity, quality assurance, technological advancement and export diversification form the pillars of Zimbabwe’s economic diplomacy. By rooting production locally while deliberately expanding global market access, the Government aims to transform foreign policy into a practical instrument for industrial expansion, job creation and sustained national prosperity.