adminFactmore Dzobo Business Reporter
THE 20th edition of the Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) expo started in Bulawayo yesterday. Local and international exhibitors are taking part in the specialised exhibition run by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company. About 147 exhibitors are participating at the specialised expo with 84 percent of the available exhibition space having already been taken days before the show started.
This year’s Mine Entra is being held under the theme “Unearthing Opportunities”.
The mining, engineering and transport sector is looking at several business opportunities and the need to explore new dimensions in various spheres of the economy.
This year’s exhibition has attracted artisanal, small-scale miners as well as the Women in Mining among other groups that have traditionally supported the expo.
A number of Cabinet Ministers are expected to interact with more than 300 local and international delegates at the expo which ends tomorrow.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Mines and Mining Development Walter Chidhakwa, his deputy Fred Moyo and permanent secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga and Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha are among the key speakers expected at the expo.
Artisanal and small scale miners participating this year are occupying a bigger space in Hall number 5 showcasing their new technologies and products.
Challenges facing artisanal and small scale miners will headline the expo and solutions on how other stakeholders can work together in improving the productivity in the sector will also be discussed.
Zimbabwe Artisanal, Small Scale Mining Council (ZASMC) president Wellington Takavarasha said a conference will be held today for small-scale and artisanal miners. Key issues affecting the mining sector will be discussed. Mining is one of the major contributors to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
Under the country’s economic blue-print Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), processing and refinery of the country’s mineral resources is expected to be done locally to avert the exportation of cheap unprocessed minerals. Mining is one of the major sectors expected to transform the country’s economic growth through beneficiation and value addition.
For the past decade or so, mining, transport and engineering sectors have been experiencing difficulties due to a myriad of challenges, chiefly liquidity crunch.
Online Reporter