Business Reporter
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) president Josephine Takundwa has challenged regional leaders and businesses to move beyond environmental rhetoric and translate green industrialisation into tangible, investable economic opportunities across the COMESA bloc.
Delivering the welcome remarks at the official opening of the COMESA Green Industries Connect forum at the Harare International Conference Centre, Ms Takundwa told delegates from 21 member States and beyond that sustainable industrial growth is no longer merely an obligation but a critical economic frontier.
“Green industrialisation is not simply an environmental obligation. It has become an economic opportunity,” Ms Takundwa said. “It can unlock new markets, attract investment, strengthen manufacturing and create jobs, stimulate innovation and enable our enterprises to compete more effectively in regional and global markets.”
The ZNCC president emphasised that the core challenge facing the region is bridging the gap between ambition and implementation. She noted that the COMESA Green Industries Connect and the broader week of engagements are designed to bring policymakers, businesses, investors, and development partners into one room to achieve exactly that.
“As the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the COMESA Business Council, we firmly believe that the private sector must be at the centre of this transformation,” she stated.
“Businesses are not merely beneficiaries of good policy. They are the investors, producers, innovators and employers who make economic transformation possible.”
Ms Takundwa outlined that today’s agenda provides a focused opportunity to advance this ambition, with sessions dedicated to building competitive regional leather brands through value addition and circularity, turning circularity principles into policy and action, and showcasing investable circular business models.
She urged delegates to ensure their time in Zimbabwe is productive and that the relationships formed extend beyond the gathering.
“We hope that your time here will be productive, the engagement meaningful, and the relationships formed will endure well beyond the gathering in this room today,” she said. “When you visit, open new doors for business collaboration and investment.”
The forum continues with panel discussions featuring industry leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, culminating in a closing ceremony where key recommendations and next steps for the region’s circular economy agenda will be outlined by Ambassador Dr Mohamed Kadah, Assistant Secretary General (Programmes) for the COMESA Secretariat.
