Mako Jerera
Government has reiterated its commitment to working with the business community as it seeks to achieve its goal to become an upper-middle income economy by 2030.
This was said by Vice President, (Rtd) General Dr Costantino Chiwenga during the International Business Conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair- ZITF in Bulawayo this Wednesday.
“We as government are committed to working and supporting industry with laws that enhance growth and increasing production. So, let us work together in ensuring that we attain vision 2030 of an upper middle income economy,” said VP Chiwenga.
He called on business to promote beneficiation, which is part of the new national thrust in building the economy through the targeted cluster approach.
“The US$12 billion mining economy demands that we work as one as government and the private sector to ensure that all the mining tools are produced locally, where the manufacturing sector must play a big part,” VP Chiwenga said.
VP Chiwenga said this year’s edition of the ZITF provides an opportunity for business and all stakeholders to engage and market their products and seek to reach wider markets.
“For this reason, we are calling on our private sector to join hands with the Government on the development and domestication of value chains, as an essential tool for the transformation of our economy, as espoused in the National Development Strategy 1,” he said.
The priority is on moving the economy up the value chain and structural transformation, underpinned by the strengthening of already existing and development of new value chains.
“Let me take this opportunity to applaud the private sector for the great work they are doing to help revive our industry, after years of industrial stagnation.”
The ZITF company board chairperson, Mr Busisa Moyo also spoke on the need for inclusive transformation of the economy.
“We are here to promote green shoots of our economy where capacity utilisation is now hovering around 60 percent with local products now dominating the markets, while at the same time dealing with the red flag issues of multiple exchange rates that are not helping the country at all,” said Mr Moyo.
President Mnangagwa is expected to officially open the ZITF on Friday.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was supposed to grace the event but he cancelled his trip following the death of former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.
The conference is running under the theme : ‘Re-think, Re-imagine, Re-invent Value Chains for Economic Development’.
The theme follows with the President Mnangagwa’s mantra for the re-industrialization of Zimbabwe’s economy as the country works towards transforming into prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030.
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