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Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development and now CODEPA chair admires some of the Niger craftwork while Speaker of Parliament Advocate Mudenda and officials from Niger look on during a tour of stands at the Coordination Committee for Development and Promotion of African Handicrafts (CODEPA) conference in Bulawayo on Friday. — Picture by Eliah Saushoma

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
THE illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West prejudiced the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector of about $35 million from 2008 to 2015, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, said negative publicity also impacted negatively on the sector.

“The value of exported art and craft products in Zimbabwe has significantly fallen over the seven-year period from $50 million in 2008 to $15 million in 2015. This was mainly due to the impact of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

“The negative publicity perpetrated by our detractors also negatively impacted on tourist arrivals in the country,” said Minister Nyoni on Friday, while addressing delegates at the 9th edition of the Coordinating Committee for the Development and Promotion of African Handicrafts (Codepa).

The conference, which was officially opened by Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo.

Codepa is a 26-member inter-African organisation formed to develop and promote African handicrafts.

Minister Nyoni, who took over the presidency of Codepa on Friday, said the arts and crafts industry has potential for job creation, income generation opportunities and economic development.

“Worldwide, the handicrafts sector is playing a pivotal role in the economic development of many countries. Codepa member states have since realised the benefits of being part of this organisation.

“These include access to premier international handicraft exhibitions, training in the field of technology and innovation, commercialisation of handicrafts, creation of networks, marketing and distribution of channels of handicrafts and sourcing of funding from financial partners,” said Minister Nyoni.

She added that Zimbabwe had also recognised the importance of handicrafts as a viable sector that is essential for the economic development of the country.

“Handicrafts have the potential to contribute to poverty alleviation and value addition and beneficiation of our resources, in line with Zim-Asset.

“My Ministry in collaboration with the relevant Government departments has put in place various strategies to promote the development and growth of the SME sector, which include the provision of training on business and technical management skills and improving the regulatory environment and provision of financial services through the Small and Medium Enterprises and Development Cooperation (SMEDCO),” said the minister.

She also called on the private sectors in African countries to work closely with their governments in forging partnerships for the development of the continent’s economy.

The SME sector, she added, has allowed crafters to express themselves creatively to talk about their own culture while making a living.

“Furthermore, Zimbabwe is strategically placed in the Sadc and Comesa regions to easily reach out to other markets in the regions,” said Minister Nyoni.

She commended the crafters, who included 50 locals for exhibiting a wonderful display of creativity and pure workmanship alongside the conference.

The Codepa conference was attended by 16 ministers from various member states, including South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu.

Minister of State for Bulawayo provincial affairs Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo, War Veterans’ Minister, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube and senior Government officials also attended the conference.