‘Use ZITF to build synergies’

Zimbabwe International Trade Fair to interact and build synergies with companies and businesspeople from the region and abroad.
ZNCC president Mr Trust Chikohora said members would do well to link up with regional businesses such as the South African business delegation that would be exhibiting at the annual business event.
“South Africa is one of major trading partners and this presents an opportunity for our members to engage with our counterparts from across the Limpopo on a one-on-one basis,” he said.
The ZITF is this year taking place from May 1 to 7.
In a related development, ZNCC public relations executive Ms Linda Mutendi said the organisation will host a South African International Trade Mission between June 20 and 24.
“The purpose of the visitation is to establish business linkages and seek out investment opportunities in the country,” she said.
According to Ms Mutendi, the visiting delegation will consist of representative of companies in sanitation, housing development and construction, freight forwarding, customs, clearing and logistics, hammer mills, grain storage, oil pressing plants, mining equipment, underground communication systems, and live breeding.
Other areas of business interest include medical, laboratory equipment and consumables, weighbridges and livestock scales, hairdressing and beauty equipment, paper and paper products, glass and construction glue, lubricants, petrochemicals, bitumen, railway and road construction and maintenance, electrical distribution and power transformers, among others.
“All companies who are in the following sectors who wish to have business to business meetings with them should register with our offices,” she said.
Last November, the ZNCC in conjunction with the South African embassy and the Zimbabwe Investment Authority hosted a South African business delegation, which carried out a trade and investment exhibition in the capital.
Zimbabwe has been hosting a number of these foreign delegations, but this has not been accompanied by tangible capital or asset investment in the country.
There has been criticism from some quarters about the level and type of external investment that the country has been attracting even from economic powerhouses, namely areas such as retail establishments and product franchising.
Zimbabwe has a huge deficiency in critical economic infrastructure in the energy, ICT, and internal transportation systems.

Infrastructure is critical to the growth of the country’s economy and external investment in these areas can help ensure that the relevant infrastructure is brought to a level that will attract more investment into the country.