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Leonard Ncube recently in Binga
SMALL to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni is set to take over the presidency of the regional Committee for the Development and Promotion of African Handicraft.
Minister Nyoni, who was elected deputy leader of the association recently, said Zimbabwe would host next year’s edition of the committee conference where she is expected to assume the presidency.
The organisation is a continental body association of SMEs ministers with a bias towards handcraft.
It is made up of 26 African countries and their affiliate partners from other continents as well as the United Nations affiliated organisations.
The grouping also includes the International Handcraft Marketing Association, which is chaired by China.
The post is rotational hence a minister who occupies the first vice presidency post assumes the presidency the following year.
“Next year we will be inviting all ministers of SMEs particularly to do with handcraft from Africa and beyond for a conference and my wish is for people of Binga to benefit from it,” said Minister Nyoni.
“The committee is proposing that the next conference be hosted by Zimbabwe and we are waiting for formal communication, which will be subject to approval by Government,” she said.
Minister Nyoni said the conference would be a huge opportunity for SMEs to realise their dreams by mixing and mingling with their counterparts from across the globe as well as learning new ideas.
“Once approved, I would want places such as Binga to play a major role at the conference in terms of marketing their products.
“We would want one SME to participate at the conference. We would have wanted Binga to host but because there are no international standard facilities, SMEs from here would have to participate,” she said.
The president of the association is Cote d’Ivoire who hosted the previous conference.
@ncubeleon
Online Reporter