admin
Business Reporter
THE country’s national export promotion agency, ZimTrade is set to host its annual exporters’ conference which seeks to foster effective trade networking and dialogue among stakeholders. The event, which will be held jointly with the Exporter of The Year Awards Gala Dinner, will be held in Harare tomorrow.
ZimTrade said the aim of the annual exporters’ conference was to ensure Zimbabwe attains sustainable economic growth through enhanced export business.
“ZimTrade strongly believes that the development and promotion of exports is key to the continued economic growth of Zimbabwe,”
Business executives, policy makers and representatives of trade facilitation institutions from around the world were invited to attend the event that will run under the theme, “Value Chain Business Models-The Key to Export Competitiveness”
The 2013 exporter’s conference comes at a time when ZimTrade was continuing to encourage local companies to embrace the export function to for the country to reduce its trade deficit.
To promote the growth of exports, the agency was running an export marketing training programme for Small and Medium Enterprises.
In the first half, Zimbabwe recorded a $2,4 billion trade gap.
Speaking at a recent export training programme held in Bulawayo, ZimTrade regional manager for Matabeleland Mr Similo Nkala said a huge trade gap exposed the country to negative developments in other economies.
“Last year, Zimbabwe’s trade deficit was $3,6 billion. For the first half of this year the figure has already reached $2,4 billion. Such a scenario is unsustainable and leaves the country highly vulnerable to negative developments in other countries. In this regard, the National Trade Policy clearly recognises exports as the engine for economic growth for Zimbabwe,” he said.
Online Reporter