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Business Reporter

THE Office of the President and Cabinet will hold a half-day symposium on Thursday for the second review of the rapid results framework on the ongoing ease of doing business reforms. The reforms are meant to address issues cited in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business report, blamed for stifling foreign investment. The OPC is in charge of the expedited reforms process.A number of high profile delegates have been invited and are expected to attend the Thursday symposium. The delegates to the event have been drawn from a wide cross section including Government, business community, civic society, legal fraternity among many others.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will give the keynote address and he will lead a cast of other high-profile delegates from Government.

The half-day symposium will focus on issues of Ease of Doing Business in Zimbabwe and the legislative framework needed to promote both local and foreign investment, among other objectives.

Zimbabwe, ranked 155 out of 183 countries on the World Bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business Report, is working hard to improve its position in order to attract investment and grow the economy.

Thursday’s half-day symposium will look at each of the items in terms of which ease of doing business is measured across the world.

These include starting a business in which Zimbabwe ranks 182, dealing with construction permits 183, getting electricity 161, registering property 141, protecting minority investors 81 and paying taxes 145.

They also include getting credit 79, trading across borders 100, enforcing contracts 166 and resolving conflicts where Zimbabwe is ranked 152.

In the last review, Zimbabwe registered positive movement in three areas namely getting credit 90 to 79, protecting minority investors 87 to 81, resolving insolvency 156 to 152 and dealing with construction permits where the country rose by single place to 184.

Zimbabwe, despite its huge potential, continues to be ranked below regional counterparts such as South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana.

Only last month, Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said Government will have promulgated 13 laws with a bearing on ease of doing business by end of this month.