ED pleads with business community
CLOUDINE MATOLA
President Emmerson Mnangangwa has pleaded with stakeholders including members of the business community and academia, to take advantage of the upcoming SADC industrialisation week (SIW) sessions, set to take place in the capital Harare.
SIW is an annual forum for public – private engagement, aimed at identifying investment prospects in the SADC region, fostering commercial opportunities to support intra – Africa trade and creating cross border value chains.
The sessions, according to President Mnangagwa, will help to expedite the country’s industrialisation and modernisation drive.
Over 300 guests and 150 companies are expected to participate in the SIW sessions, which are scheduled to take place from July 28 to August 2, 2024.
It precedes the SADC Summit set for August. 9-18 at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden.
Speaking this week at the burial of the late national hero Brigadier General (RTD) Dr. Michael Chaminuka at National Heroes Acre, President Mnangagwa advocated for collaboration between the private sector, the government, and local authorities to enhance the environment.
“The historic event (SADC Summit) is preceded by the SADC Industrialisation Week, which will be running from July 28 to August 2, 2024. Industry, commerce and institutions of higher education as well as our entrepreneurs, innovators, micro, small and medium enterprises are encouraged to leverage on this event to further leap-frog our country’s ongoing industrialisation and modernisation drive,” President Mnangagwa said.
He added: “I, call upon all the stakeholders, including the private sector, to partner my administration and our local authorities to enhance the environmental ambience, cleanliness and beauty of our cities in preparation for the Summit, and indeed into the future.”
Additionally, President Mnangangwa implored Zimbabweans to exert great effort in ensuring a safe and peaceful environment for the visitors, stressing that various sectors should bear the responsibility of hosting this event.
“I, equally, encourage all Zimbabweans to continue working hard to ensure a peaceful, safe and welcoming environment for our visiting delegates. With unity of purpose, across the various sectors, let us collectively bear the weighty responsibility which hosting this important Summit entails,” he said.
