Online Reporter
Michael Tome in Lusaka, Zambia
ZIMTRADE’S services business mission to Zambia began yesterday as the national trade promotion and development body steps up efforts to diversify Zimbabwe’s export base and strengthen the country’s presence in regional markets.
The mission, which ends tomorrow, marks a strategic shift in Zimbabwe’s export promotion drive as the country seeks to grow trade in services within the region and internationally, with an initial focus on construction, building and agricultural services.
The initiative forms part of Zimbabwe’s broader push to achieve the national export earnings target of US$14 billion by 2030.
The target is a key pillar of the National Export Strategy and Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.
Speaking during the opening conference of the mission, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia, Charity Charamba, said the programme presents major opportunities for Zimbabwean companies seeking to expand into regional markets.
She said the mission comes at a time when more Zimbabwean businesses are looking beyond the domestic market and establishing a presence in neighbouring Zambia, reflecting strengthening bilateral relations and growing economic cooperation between the two countries.
“The Zambia mission is expected to create openings for Zimbabwean firms to leverage the region’s infrastructure development wave, which has seen increasing demand for services ranging from architecture and civil engineering to project management and interior design,” Ambassador Charamba said.
ZimTrade manager for export promotion Mrs Vuyiswa Mafu said the organisation deliberately selected the construction and building services sector as the starting point for Zimbabwe’s services export expansion because of the country’s strong track record and reputation in the region.
“We started with the strategic decision to begin with the construction and building sector, considering Zimbabwe’s well-established expertise and regional reputation in civil engineering, technical consultancy and related services,” said Mrs Mafu.
She said ZimTrade had since widened the scope of the programme to include agricultural services in response to growing regional demand for specialised agricultural expertise and support services.
