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Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko

Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENTS across the world should invest in youth empowerment programmes if they are to unlock their potential, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.

VP Mphoko said this yesterday at his Munhumutapa offices after Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Mr Patrick Zhuwao — who was leading a delegation from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa — paid a courtesy call on him.

Minister Zhuwao’s delegation had called on the VP to brief him on the High Level Youth Investment and Inclusive Growth conference held in the capital on Tuesday.

“If you do not invest in the youths, then you have a serious problem. What you are doing is very encouraging,” said VP Mphoko.

Earlier on, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa director Professor Said Adejumobi said Zimbabwe would be a force to reckon with within the next two decades despite the current challenges it is going through.

“No matter what challenges you are facing here in Zimbabwe, in the next 20 years Zimbabwe will be the fastest growing economy given the agenda that you have taken. We need to showcase the tremendous efforts being taken by Zimbabwe,” said Prof Adejumobi.

Minister Zhuwao said there was a need to leverage on the country’s high literacy rate.

Several countries around the world, including the United States, he said, were preying on the country’s talent for their own benefit.

He also took the opportunity to inform VP Mphoko that he had approved recommendations by the National Economic Empowerment Board for the appointment of Mr Rangu Nyamurundira as its substantive chief executive officer after occupying the post in an acting capacity.

He said Mr Nyamurundira should steer the country’s economic agenda.

Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment secretary Dr Desire Sibanda said the conference had discussed several funding mechanisms that the youths could tap into to finance their projects.