Vusumuzi Dube
• 9th edition of the CEO Africa Annual Roundtable 2023 kicks off in Victoria Falls
Judith Phiri in Victoria Falls
THE Minister of Industry and Commerce, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni has said the Government continues to enhance the business environment, promote investment and negotiate better market access and key partnerships with stakeholders across all sectors of the economy for the development of the country.
Speaking at the 9th edition of the CEO Africa Annual Roundtable 2023 in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, the Minister said business engagements such as the conference , help to explore and cement synergies that promotes trade and investment.
“It is important to note that as a Government, the approach has been and continue to be one of private sector-led growth which then calls for embracing the inherent power of smart partnerships. It is in this regard that the Government continue to enhance the business environment,” she said.
She said the theme of the conference: “Towards African Renaissance: Prospering through Smart Partnerships” resonated with Government’s Vision 2030 which seeks to achieve an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society by 2030.
The Minister said this was guided by interventions espoused through the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and its complementary blueprints under her Ministry such as Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP) which is currently under review.
“This ZNIDP’s overall objective is to increase manufacturing sector growth by 2 percent per annum, produce quality goods and services, increase investment in the manufacturing sector, and grow manufacturing sector exports by 10 percent per annum.”
She said in today’s challenging environment, businesses have to aggressively identify and pursue innovative ways of survival.
Minister Nyoni said the three-days conference should pave the way for real engagement with the overall objective of creating one of Southern Africa’s fastest growing economies.
“This synergy will also drive increased production and improve competitiveness by incorporating the best of combined capacities.I do believe that a forum like this one will stimulate the exchange of ideas and approaches to common issues and foster long lasting business relations, which transcend boundaries and provide the foundation for developing solutions,” she added.
CEO Africa Roundtable board chairman, Mr Oswell Binha said Africa was lagging
behind in terms of income earning capacity and needs to catch-up.
“An honest introspection of the requirements is therefore a necessary imperative as we discuss broader issues of
Zimbabwe and Africa’s. Key policy and strategic ingredients for our attention as we plot how to transform Africa’s economy to induce a respectable on a global economic platform include guarding and maintaining peace jealously and Transparency and governance exorcising the demon of beauratic corruption economy
wide,” he said.
He said other strategies were new inclusive social contract to create continent wide cohesion, especially at this point in
the life of our beloved country Zimbabwe.
Mr Binha called for the reation of a standardised and guide script which is
intergral to deal with perception of country risk, investment attraction promotion of
shared national value system.
President Mnangagwa is set to officially open the event on Thursday (tomorrow).
Online Reporter