malvernmugadzikwa
Michael Tome
INDUSTRY and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu has implored SADC countries to enhance regional integration and optimise resource utilisation to realise the intended industrialisation goal.
He said this while addressing delegates at the just-ended 2024 SADC Industrialisation Week Business Breakfast Meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC).
He implored business leaders to leverage regional strengths, including mineral resources, rich agricultural land and a young and educated population to ensure regional industrial growth.
Minister Ndlovu said the journey towards an industrialised SADC required collective effort, strategic action and a commitment by policymakers and the private sector.
“As the saying goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go together.’ We must actively seek out and engage in public-private partnerships, regional alliances, and international collaborations that enhance our industrial capabilities,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu said implementing the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063) was pivotal in the region’s economic growth, adding that SADC countries must collectively push for its full realisation.
He urged SADC countries to invest in research and development to develop home-grown solutions to their challenges.
“To truly promote innovation, we must invest in research and development, support our burgeoning tech industries, and nurture a culture of creativity and entrepreneurship,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter