Nation hosts inaugural Southern Africa Youth Business forum

As you know, Zimbabwe is a relatively youthful country. It is currently on an ambitious and exciting economic recovery trajectory. The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training is thus seeking to identify and unlock socio-economic opportunities for youths, who happen to be the majority of our population. Empowering youths is empowering the majority. The country’s future is likewise determined by the majority.

The inaugural Southern Africa Youth Business Forum opened in Harare yesterday with young entrepreneurs from the region discussing economic empowerment.

Delegates from the European Union, ambassadors from the Southern African Development Community, Ministers of Provincial Affairs and Devolution, members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth Empowerment are attending the two-day event, which the Zimbabwe Youth Chamber of Commerce is hosting.

Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Marian Chombo, who spoke on behalf her colleagues, highlighted the importance of devolution with its potential to empower urban and rural youths.

“There are opportunities that come with devolution through the decentralisation of decision making and focusing on local economic development by creating an environment that nurtures entrepreneurship and unlocks opportunities for young entrepreneurs,” she said.

A representative from the Eswatini Youth Council, Sibongakonke Dlamini, said: “We believe that after this event we will be able to copy what Zimbabweans are doing. We have our entrepreneurs who make clothes from recycled products, something which is unique.”

Entrepreneurship has been a major driver of economic development for developed countries and Zimbabwe has been lagging behind as the colonialists ingrained a culture of seeking employment among the locals.

Board chairperson of the Zimbabwe Youth Chamber of Commerce Tinashe Ngirandi said the philosophy that “the youth are the future leaders” should be changed to “the youth are the leaders of today and tomorrow.”

The Zimbabwe government has adopted a deliberate policy to promote entrepreneurship through the new Education 5.0 policy and is also establishing innovation hubs in universities.— New Ziana.