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ZIMBABWE has been urged to fully utilise its SADC chairmanship and drive the industrialisation and integration agenda of the region. President Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional bloc in August.
Speaking at a business forum in Bulawayo on Friday, Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu urged captains of industry to leverage SADC’s resources and human talent.
“As the current chair of SADC, Zimbabwe has an opportunity to once again drive the industrialisation and integration of the region. We were instrumental in crafting the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap and our vision being that together as a bloc we can achieve more.
“The President’s vision is clear, to leverage SADC’s resources and human talent to become a hub of innovation and industrialisation, ensuring the region doesn’t fall behind in the global race towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, Minister Ndlovu said Zimbabwe recently participated in the BRICS Forum in China on partnerships on the new industrial revolution, where global trends in innovation and industrial transformation took centre stage.
He said the BRICS bloc has become a powerful force in the global economy, driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by advanced digitisation, innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and green development.
“These elements are reshaping industrial efficiency and promoting sustainable growth at a rapid pace, changing traditional production and business models. As a country, we must align ourselves with these global trends to remain globally and regionally competitive,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Following bilateral talks held at the BRICS forum, Zimbabwe is open to explore partnerships in value addition and industrial cooperation with China, he noted.
The proposed areas include cooperation in Innovation-driven Development, Green, Low Carbon and Sustainable Development; Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Strengthening of Industrial Supply Chains; and Growth of SMEs.
Plans are also underway to establish an MoU between Zimbabwe and China, he said.
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