Govt’s decentralisation strategy to promote development
Own Correspondent
Government’s devolution and decentralisation policy is intended to increase productivity and spur development across the country, the Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion Mthuli Ncube, has said.
Ncube said this last Friday at the opening of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency’s (ZIDA) new office in Bulawayo.
The purpose of the new office is to encourage and facilitate investment in the Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo and the Midlands provinces.
“The establishment of a new office here (in Bulawayo) is a clear demonstration of the Government of Zimbabwe’s commitment to creating a more conducive investment environment across the country.
“This Office will play a vital role in attracting and supporting investment into the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Matabeleland North and South Province, Masvingo and the Midlands Province.
“It is expected to continue to provide a one-stop shop for investors, offering a range of services, including business registration, licensing and investment advice,” Ncube said.
He added: “We are a landlocked country but we have not taken a back seat in ensuring that we stay in the race to attract foreign direct investment, which is in demand globally as countries compete for the cake which is growing smaller and smaller due to a large number of global dynamics.”
According to Ncube, there are numerous investment opportunities in the Southern region across various economic sectors.
“It is expected to continue to provide a one-stop shop for investors, offering a range of services, including business registration, licensing, and investment advice.
“The region is also home to several investment opportunities, in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and mining, while it hosts and holds the largest area of officially designated public sector Special Economic Zones,” Ncube said.
He added: “My ministry, which was recently given the mandate to drive investment promotion in the country, will be working closely with ZIDA to ensure that all investors are allowed to access as much of the country’s opportunities as possible across all sectors of the economy.”
Speaking at the same event, the Minister of State for Bulawayo metropolitan province Judith Ncube said: “The establishment of this office is a clear signal to potential investors that Bulawayo is open for business. This will ensure sustainable and equitable development of the economy and create a better future for Zimbabwe.”
She said this was a significant turning point for ZIDA and for the investment promotion landscape in Zimbabwe, as they continued to improve the ease of doing business in the country, by making themselves more visible and accessible not only to foreign investors but to domestic businesses as well.
