Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in BULAWAYO
Established exporters and corporates should play a leading role in mentoring, integrating and supporting youth participation across value chains as Zimbabwe accelerates efforts to build a diversified and competitive export-driven economy, President Mnangagwa has said.
Officiating at the ZimTrade’s Annual Exporters Conference and Awards in Bulawayo yesterday, President Mnangagwa said delivering an export-led growth trajectory hinges on the deliberate inclusion of young entrepreneurs in production, innovation and digital trade.
“I would like to specifically address the future of our nation, the youth, more so, as we commemorate the National Youth Day tomorrow (today) the 21st of February, in Mashonaland East Province,” he said.
“While notable strides are being made by our youth in all sectors of the economy, I call upon the younger entrepreneurs to be producers, innovators and digital traders with focus on the export of value-added Zimbabwean goods and services.
“Individually and collectively, you have a duty to be more active participants as drivers of the industrialisation, modernisation and economic growth agenda.
“I urge established exporters and corporates to help mentor, integrate and support youth participation across export value chains. Together, in unity, let us translate the ongoing economic reforms into shipments, partnerships into premium prices and strategy into shared prosperity.”
The annual Youth Day holiday honours the legacy of the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, who was born on February 21, 1924, and comes against the backdrop of the National Youth Empowerment Strategy (2026–2030).
Launched by President Mnangagwa in October last year, the strategy seeks to enhance youth participation in the nation’s economic, digital and social sectors.
President Mnangagwa will be the guest of honour at this year’s National Youth Day commemorations, which will run under the theme: “Youth Agenda for Transformation”.
More than 30 000 youths are expected to attend, alongside representatives from regional youth councils, foreign delegates and stakeholders from Government, civil society and the private sector.
The National Youth Day will also honour graduates from the Youth Service in Zimbabwe, who will showcase their training through displays representing the 2024 and 2025 cohorts.
The President’s remarks come as Government intensifies implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which places export diversification, value addition and industrialisation at the centre of Zimbabwe’s economic transformation agenda.
As such, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has the capacity to unlock export potential across all provinces and sectors if stakeholders work in unity and with focus.
“Sector by sector, province by province, we all have the capacity to build a value-added, diversified and competitive export economy under National Development Strategy 2,” he said.
“We must shoulder and drive our economic development and transformation agenda. As exporters, continue to play your part, which has positively contributed to the realisation of the overall national economic success, recorded to date.
“Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo.”
The President’s call underscores Government’s thrust to ensure that young people are not peripheral players, but central actors in production, beneficiation and global trade.
With Zimbabwe’s youthful demographic constituting a significant proportion of the population, the opportunity and responsibility to harness innovation, technology and entrepreneurship for export growth has never been greater.
Held under the theme, “Rooted Locally, Growing Globally”, the conference brought together exporters, policymakers and development partners to explore strategies for expanding Zimbabwe’s export footprint and enhancing the competitiveness of locally produced goods and services on the international market.
President Mnangagwa said economic reforms must ultimately translate into tangible trade outcomes that uplift communities and create shared prosperity.
Against a backdrop of increasingly competitive global markets demanding high-quality, value-added products, the President’s message reinforced the imperative for innovation, productivity and collaboration in positioning Zimbabwean brands on the world stage.
