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ZITF

The 57th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) which started on Tuesday, ends today. It is our belief that it has been a very eventful week for both local and foreign exhibitors who have been showcasing their products and services. The country’s premier international trade and investment showcase this year attracted 401 direct exhibitors and 34 of these are foreign.

This year’s trade showcase’s theme is: “Innovate, Integrate and Industrialise”. We want to say hats off to foreign exhibitors who continue to show confidence in our economy as both the public and private sectors strive to grow it.

This year’s trade showcase is special in that it is being held at a time when the government has started working on a cocktail of measures to attract Foreign Direct Investors. The government working together with the private sector has identified the shortcomings that are making Zimbabwe unattractive to FDI hence the measures being put in place to address these shortcomings.

Many potential investors are being frustrated by long and protracted procedures in their quest to invest in the country and government is therefore working on reducing the waiting period. We hope some of the investor-friendly policies were unveiled to foreign investors during the trade fair week by the different stakeholders.

Local and foreign exhibitors were afforded an opportunity not just to market their products and services, but to also break new ground and explore new markets. We have said over the years that the trade fair should be a platform to clinch major business deals.

Zimbabwean companies are battling to increase capacity utilisation and it is our hope that most of these companies have identified foreign partners that could assist them in this regard. Most of the foreign companies that are exhibiting at the fair want to do business with us and the challenge is to create a conducive environment to do business as well as attract new investment.

What is pleasing is that the highest office in the land, The Office of the President and Cabinet is directly involved in this initiative of making Zimbabwe an investment destination of choice. The OPC which is exhibiting at this year’s ZITF, is spearheading the “doing business environment” reform process under the rapid results framework.

We therefore want to call on the private sector to continue working with the government in identifying the shortcomings frustrating investors so that these are addressed. Zimbabwe is endowed with natural resources such as minerals and boasts highly skilled manpower which is sought after the world over so there is no excuse to fail.

We want to once again urge companies to take advantage of the networking they established during the trade fair week to expand their businesses and their market share internationally. The government on its part should move fast to remove obstacles impeding efforts to attract new investments.