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Business Reporter
Government plans to accelerate the development of more industrial parks and “industry development corridors” alongside key infrastructure points this year while current efforts will be on developing its Sunway project in Ruwa.

Government already has 1 000 hectares of land valued at $45 million available that it has earmarked for a mixture of residential, factory and business park projects.

Industry and Commerce Acting Secretary Ms Florence Makombe said Government has plans for the development of industrial parks.

“Government currently is working on the Sunway City Integrated Industrial Park that was established to develop eco-friendly world class integrated industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational and residential parks so as to provide relevant infrastructural development to facilitate industrialisation and economic growth of Zimbabwe as well as regional integration and trade.

“The industrial park was designed to compete with the best in the world in the provision of quality industrial factory shells supported by world class technology, efficient communication, road and rail systems and effective land use planning,” said Ms Makombe.

She said the company was established by the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe Limited to provide specialised industrial clusters for cost effective infrastructure and/or common service centres.

She said the Sunway Industrial Park is strategically located with links directly into major Southern African markets by road, rail and air.

Ms Makombe said for bulk exports and imports, the park is traversed by a regional road, rail and fuel pipeline from Beira in Mozambique (the nearest port for Zimbabwe, 600km).

For high value exports and imports, it will be conveniently located from the Harare International Airport for easy access to all major international markets once the airport link road has been constructed.

The main Indian Ocean Fibre Optic Cable into Zimbabwe cuts through the park along the Mutare to Harare Highway. This will provide high speed broadband to businesses and families in the park.

She said there are several companies already operating in the Sunway Industrial Park producing bleached cotton products, animal and public health products, chrome, steel fabrication, shoe manufacturing and cement bricks and pavers among other things.

The country’s national oil procurement company is also located in the industrial park.

On the residential sector, servicing of over 600 low density stands has been completed and development has started on a number of these stands.

Some companies have already expressed interest in the park, especially the High Tech Park, to set up Solar plants, E-Medical facilities, software engineering, research and development institutes.

She said the British delegation that visited the Zimbabwe was pleased with the country and they promised to assist in conducting research in prioritised sectors as well as ascertain competitive advantage.

“The British trade delegation was in Zimbabwe last year to investigate areas of co-operation and investment opportunities in the country as well as prepare the way for subsequent missions.”

She said they wanted to understand more about Zimbabwe’s development objectives and how United Kingdom expertise in infrastructure, construction and development could support the implementation of Zim-Asset.