Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
International participation at this year’s Mine Entra Conference and Exhibition has increased, with 54 of the 330 exhibitors coming from outside Zimbabwe, reflecting growing global interest in the country’s mining sector.
Speaking at the official opening of the 29th Mine Entra Conference and Exhibition in Bulawayo on Friday, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company board chairperson Dr Busisa Moyo said the growth underscores efforts to position Zimbabwe as a regional and global mining investment destination.
“This year, we have 330 exhibitors at this year’s Mine Entra. Of those 330 exhibitors, 54 are international,” said Dr Moyo.
“And so we continue to internationalise our initiatives and what we do because Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy of none. We want to do business. We want to take our place in the world.”
He said exhibitors from more than 20 countries are participating in this year’s exhibition, bringing together equipment suppliers, technology firms and service providers showcasing innovations across the mining value chain.
Dr Moyo said Mine Entra has evolved beyond being a traditional exhibition and is increasingly becoming a platform for driving tangible investment outcomes.
He said a new Memorandum of Understanding between ZITF and the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe is aimed at placing mining companies at the centre of discussions that result in concrete commitments from both Government and the private sector.
“Commitments not just from Government, but from private sector as well. What are we committing to do? What do we commit ourselves to do? That’s the kind of meeting that we would want to facilitate as ZITF,” he said.
Describing mining as the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy, Dr Moyo said the sector attracts more than 70 percent of foreign direct investment, generates close to 80 percent of the country’s export earnings and employs over 50 000 people.
He said Zimbabwe’s mineral potential remains significantly underexplored despite its favourable geology.
“We were told yesterday that the geological nature that we have in Zimbabwe is similar to that of Australia. The only difference is the amount that we have invested in exploration. This means Zimbabwe is the biggest, most undervalued mining sector on the planet,” said Dr Moyo.
Beyond the mining industry, he said Mine Entra is providing a boost to Bulawayo’s economy through increased business for hotels, restaurants, transport operators and retailers as delegates converge for the annual event.
Dr Moyo thanked the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, corporate sponsors and exhibitors for supporting the exhibition.
“I encourage all delegates to use this platform to engage in meaningful dialogue, forge strategic partnerships, harness the immense industrial opportunities before us for the benefit of Zimbabwe, for the benefit of our children, for the benefit of the region, and for the benefit indeed of the planet,” he said.
He said Mine Entra remains central to ZITF’s mandate of developing trade platforms that stimulate economic growth and deepen regional integration.
The 2026 Mine Entra Conference is running alongside the exhibition and is expected to produce a set of resolutions that will be reviewed at next year’s edition.
