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Pride Mahlangu, Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE and two of its neighbouring countries, Zambia and South Africa, will early next month convene in Victoria Falls for an infrastructure development summit.
The conference, which is the first of its kind involving the three regional countries, is aimed at discussing a range of issues affecting infrastructural development among the three countries.
The four-day event is being organised by Global Renaissance Investments.
In an interview yesterday, Global Renaissance Investments chief executive officer Mr Ngonidzashe Dzirutwe said the summit was instigated by the realisation that the reason for stunted economic growth in Zimbabwe was its poor infrastructure.
He expressed optimism that the summit would yield solutions to address the challenge Zimbabwe was facing on infrastructural development.
“The world is moving fast in terms of ICTs and we are lagging behind because we do not have supporting infrastructure.
“In the transport sector, we are using huge trucks to transport goods which are damaging our roads and the only solution to this problem is the capacitation of our railway network,” Mr Dzirutwe said.
The four-day summit runs from March 4 to 7 under the theme: “Infrastructure key to economic growth and shared prosperity.”
“We hope and pray that this summit will help authorities come up with solutions to foster the construction of modern infrastructure which will support the general populace and environment for the good of the nation and for economic development,” said Mr Dzirutwe.
He said participating countries at the upcoming historical conference were strategically handpicked as they possess economic ties with Zimbabwe.
“South Africa and Zambia are major trading partners of Zimbabwe, they also stand as corridor links for the country in the north and south and this is the first time these countries are meeting for such an event,” said Mr Dzirutwe.
The three countries are also members of Sadc which has made continuous strides in ensuring the development of infrastructure for its member states.
Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi and the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndlovu will be among the key speakers at the conference sharing the podium with fellow ministers from the two countries.
Other key delegates will be chief executive officers from big companies such as Eskom, National Railways of Zimbabwe and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation among other high-profile representatives.
“Key areas that will be discussed at the summit will include: energy and power, water and sanitation, tourism, road and rail, housing, information and communication technology infrastructure and systems development,” he said. – @pridesinstinctz
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