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Wallace Ruzvidzo in BULAWAYO
ZIMBABWE has defined itself as a resourceful, marketable and efficient investment destination as it continues on its economic growth trajectory.
Industry and Commerce Minister, Dr Sekai Nzenza, said this at a ZITF Connect Africa Symposium here yesterday.
Minister Nzenza said the country had not been left behind in co-operating with fellow African states and in this regard, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) had come at an opportune time for Zimbabwe.
The symposium was held under the theme, ‘Transformative Innovation, Global Competitiveness’ and was attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Government officials, diplomats and representatives from continental as well as regional blocs among others.
“The key messaging has been leveraging our history as Africa, interconnectedness and interrelationship in order to compete with other trade blocs in the world,” she said.
Minister Nzenza said private sector led growth was an imperative that was coming to fruition in the country, adding that increased production was a key enabler of trade.
The creation of sustainable value chains, she said, was a priority agenda in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“The yardstick for the growth of the productive sector which we have been given by His Excellency, is private sector-led growth.
“The emergence of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has come at a time where Zimbabwe is defining itself as a resourceful, marketable and efficient investment opportunity,” said Minister Nzenza.
“Yesterday, in dialogue between the private sector and Government, we challenged ourselves that as we are value creating through value addition, we must lean on the pillar of competitiveness”.
She implored industry players and the continent at large to produce innovatively, paying attention to creating high value products and not solely relying on traditional methods of production.
“I would like to reassure you that we have not been left behind in the new trend of co-operating to compete with other African countries.
“To this end, Zimbabwe and Zambia are embarking on the establishment of a Common Agro-Industrial Park, based on comparative advantages in the agricultural sector as a starting point for strengthening co-operation and this will be the first of its kind in Southern Africa,” Minister Nzenza said.
She added that the Agro-Industrial Park project would also be replicated with more African countries as Government exploits opportunities under the AfCFTA.
Speaking at the same symposium, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) chief executive Mr Christopher Mugaga said Zimbabwe was headed in the right direction.
“Two or three months ago, Zimbabwe had a debt conference where the president of the African Development Bank was in town. Once you take a position like our Government did to say we are solving the debt issue, it’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
Online Reporter