Gurus set for Vic Falls to discuss economy

Sunday Mail Reporter

ECONOMIC gurus from the public and private sectors are set to meet in Victoria Falls this week to deliberate on the prevailing economic headwinds, at the inaugural Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking (ZIST) National Economic Policy Dialogue Session.

Cabinet Ministers Professor Mthuli Ncube (Finance and Economic Development), Dr John Masuka (Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Water and Rural Development), Felix Mhona (Transport and Infrastructural Development), and Zhemu Soda (Energy and Power Development), Reserve Bank governor Dr John Mangudya and several captains of industry are among speakers expected at the event slated for June 14 to 16.

In an interview with this publication, ZIST chief executive Dr Tinashe Muzamhindo said the dialogue will address the current turbulence bedevilling the economy.

“As a think tank, we are basically saying, for us to deal with current economic challenges, people must talk, people must engage. It is important to create a winning dialogue between the public sector and the private sector to demystify issues and restore business confidence.

“The conference seeks to address the current turbulence in the economy, which we believe is evolving as a result of mistrust between business and Government. The meeting is, thus, in the context of bridging the gap to strike a common template and bring confidence.”

Dr Muzamhindo said the dialogue forum will evaluate the role of the private sector in achieving the National Development Strategy 1 and overall economic revitalisation. “We also want to challenge the private sector to take advantage of the economy as an anchor economy in SADC (Southern African Development Community), given its location and logistical capacity. The dialogue also seeks to ensure financial inclusion and broader and meaningful participation in the economy by Zimbabweans at large to achieve sustainable development and prosperity,” he said.

Furthermore, Dr Muzamhindo said, the meeting will explore “low-hanging policy options to fix Zimbabwe’s economy and keep it on track towards Vision 2030”. Over 200 delegates are expected to attend the forum, which will be held under the theme “Re-shoring Private Sector Growth: Creating conditions for a predictable business operating environment”.

ZIST is a local think-tank, whose thrust is to provide strategy through solution-focused thinking, using home-grown solutions.