Zimbabwe firms get regional nod

Patrick Chitumba in Victoria Falls
ZIMBABWEAN companies continue to earn respect in the Sadc coming second after South Africa in terms of regional tender participation, an official has said.
Despite the economic challenges the country is going through compounded by the illegal Western sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, Sadc head of procurement, Snowden Madi, said local firms were doing well in tender participations in the region.

“While Zimbabwe has had its challenges in participating in regional economic activities like the procurement of                                                  goods and services for the economic growth of the bloc, it was second after South Africa,” said Madi while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the Sadc meeting of the Finance Committee in Victoria Falls on Monday.

“Zimbabwe’s participation is number two after South Africa and it’s very commendable since it is doing well compared to other countries.”

Madi cited the recent $800,000 tender on the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan, which he said was won by a Zimbabwean company.

“The RISDP contract went to Zimbabwe and that is highly commendable. It is however our wish that all member states participate fully in such economic growth activities for the development of our region,” he added.

Madi said 60 percent of Sadc secretariat budget of between $50-$52 million was funded by international cooperating partners (ICP) while member states contributed between $30-$32 million annually.

He said: “It’s true that more than 60 percent of our budget comes from ICPs. These include European Union, African Development Bank, World Bank, but they follow Sadc laid down procedures.

“For AfDB we use their requirements, but however they are not involved in any way in the processes.

“The same as member states, they follow our procurement procedures.”

Madi said Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe were external member states charged with the responsibility of monitoring external procurement process by the secretariat.

The Sadc Summit is being held under the theme: “Sadc Strategy for Economic Transformation – Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition.”