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Michelle Moyo, [email protected]

ZIMBABWE International Trade Fair Company (ZITF) has engaged the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to ensure that foreign companies exhibiting at this year’s exhibition will have no hassles in bringing their goods into the country, an official has said.

In the previous exhibitions, exhibitors faced challenges in bringing their goods through the country’s border posts.

Scores of foreign exhibitors are expected to participate at the 64th international exhibition, set for April 23-27 in Bulawayo.

This year’s edition will run under the theme from “Innovation: The Catalyst to Industrialisation and Trade.”

Kenyan President Dr William Ruto is billed to officially open the 64th edition.

In the past, some foreign exhibitors experienced delays at points of entry due to clearance challenges faced. 

It is in this light that ZITF company is engaging Zimra to pave the way for a hassle free entry of foreign exhibitors.

ZITF chief executive officer, Dr Nicholas Ndebele told Business Chronicle that they expect Zimra to share a schedule of goods that need to pay duty, so as to share vital information with their exhibitors.

“In terms of clearance at the points of entry, land and air, we have since engaged Zimra to sensitise them about our foreign exhibitions, so that there is a quicker passage of exhibitors and their exhibits.

“The previous key points were around delays as people were clearing various products that sometimes customs officials considered to be items that need to be cleared for at the ports of entry,” said Dr Ndebele.

 He noted that some exhibitors would not be aware that they need to clear their products at point of entry, or prior to arrival.

“The exhibitors would have not have known that they are supposed to pay for their goods in order for them to bring their exhibits into the country, whether for exhibition purposes, or the goods were bought during the exhibition. Zimra was quite concerned about that.”

 Dr Ndebele said the revenue authority has a schedule that has items that need to be paid duty for and items that are excluded from duty.

Added to that, the list that will be shared with exhibitors will include collateral items that are going to be consumed during the exhibition and those that would be returned to the country of origin.

“Zimra is going to share with us the goods that are subject to duty and goods that do not attract duty, so that when exhibitors arrive at various points of entry, they are not delayed. Should exhibitors want to bring in items that need to be cleared prior to their arrival, they should make those arrangements in good time,” said Dr Ndebele

Beitbridge is the busiest border post in southern Africa, handling about 9 000 travellers into South Africa in a single ordinary day.

By last week, 98 percent of space capacity with 517 exhibitors had taken up 48 881 square metres of the set aside 49 499 square metres.

ZITF Company board chairman, Mr Busisa Moyo said all exhibition halls and individual pavilions are now full and there are plans to erect a marquee, to house the many exhibitors who have been put on the waiting list.

“International participation is also very strong. To date, we have confirmed exhibits from 27 countries namely: Botswana, Belarus, Brazil, People’s Republic of China, Kingdom of Eswatini, European Union, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Zambia.”

International participation compares favourably with last year’s closing total of 21 countries represented.

The ZITF Company has been given a mandate to lead the national branding efforts for Zimbabwe while promoting investment and economic growth.

Several high-profile meetings including the Diplomats Forum and Africa Connect Symposium, will be held on the sidelines of the ZITF.

The main activities at the 2024 ZITF will comprise the ZITF Welcome Cocktail; the ZITF International Business Conference on 24 April, which will be officially opened by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga; the ZITF Charity Golf Challenge, ZITF Diplomats Forum, Connect Africa Symposium and the Tourism Night, which will be held on April 25.

The ZITF Diplomats Forum will be held under the theme “Fostering Economic Partnerships through Entrepreneurship” while the theme for the Connect Africa Symposium will be “Entrepreneurial Africa: Routes to Sustainable Progress”.

The Symposium will be officially opened by Vice President Kembo Mohadi while the official opening ceremony and the ZNCC Business Luncheon will be on April 26.

ZITF has been hosting training seminars for exhibitors ahead of the trade exhibition. — @Lo7246Lovelyn