Online Reporter
Eliah Saushoma, [email protected]
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare says the 2026 Zimbabwe Employment and Labour Summit will provide a key national platform to place employment at the centre of Zimbabwe’s development agenda while generating practical solutions for job creation, formalisation and sustainable economic growth.
Speaking ahead of the three-day summit, Director of Labour Administration, Employment Services and Promotion in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Clemence Zondile Vusani, said the forum would bring together Government, organised business, organised labour, the private sector and academia to deliberate on the country’s most pressing employment challenges.
“The Employment and Labour Summit is a vital national dialogue platform. It is for everyone — the ordinary worker, the job seeker striving to enter the formal economy, and the employer navigating a complex regulatory and economic landscape,” said Mr Vusani.
He said the summit comes at a critical time following the review of the National Employment Policy Framework and approval of the National Formalisation Strategy, two key policy instruments aimed at addressing structural challenges affecting Zimbabwe’s labour market.
“This summit is strategically aligned with the aspirations of National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises the creation of more resilient and productive jobs, the promotion of green employment opportunities and the deliberate strengthening of skills development systems,” he said.
The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Edgar Moyo is expected to officially open the summit on Thursday.
The Ministry said employment remains a key macroeconomic indicator whose performance reflects the overall health of the country’s development agenda.
Against the backdrop of a growing informal sector, skills mismatches and increasing pressure on formal employment, delegates will deliberate on six thematic areas, namely the employment landscape; economic transformation and inclusive growth; disability, gender and youth participation; social dialogue and tripartism; industrial harmony and National Employment Councils; and skills development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reform, formalisation and entrepreneurship.
The summit will also feature concurrent exhibitions by Government ministries, departments and agencies, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), academic institutions and National Employment Councils, showcasing programmes and initiatives that support employment creation and enterprise development.
Mr Vusani said the summit was expected to produce “concrete, measurable and time-bound actions” to expand decent work, accelerate green job creation, strengthen skills development systems and advance the formalisation of the economy.
“The goal is to build consensus on how to create decent work, improve job security and drive economic growth. It provides a structured platform for constructive dialogue, ensuring that the voices of workers and employers are reflected in policymaking,” he said.
The Ministry has called on all social partners to actively participate in the summit to ensure that its resolutions translate into sustainable jobs, improved livelihoods and inclusive economic growth for Zimbabweans.
