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Ranga Mataire

Zimpapers Politics Hub

THE 7th SADC Industrialisation Week that opened in Harare on Sunday has attracted the largest number of participants in the event’s history, according to organisers.

The interaction, which brings together businesses from across the region, was first held in Eswatini in 2016. Eight years later, Zimbabwe is hosting the event under the theme: “Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development towards an industrialised SADC”.

According to the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) vice president Mr Mucha Mkanganwi, this year’s event has 10 times more participants than the previous one, making it the biggest such event on record.

“There are many firsts that we have managed to have; more than 10 times the delegates compared to the previous events. For the Industrialisation Week, we are particularly pleased and proud of our country and our industry, which is on show, which has brought the region together to witness what has turned out to be the largest ever SADC Industrialisation Week event so far,” said Mr Mkanganwi.

Together with the SADC Secretariat, the CZI has led the hosting of the event. The attendance data shows why Mr Mukanganwi has all the reasons to be proud.

The strong interest from companies and individuals in the event shows the increasing understanding of the benefits of regional integration and partnerships. It also highlights Zimbabwe’s ability to promote the event and its business opportunities.

In his address to delegates at the official opening of the Industrialisation Week yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr Frederick Shava said the event is a culmination of a series of efforts to focus on regional integration.

Dr Shava said the theme of the 7th SADC Industrialisation Week resonated with the growing trend in the global economic system, where nations were placing innovation at the centre of economic policy.

“The SADC Protocol on Trade at its inception in 1996 already incorporated the view that market integration through the elimination of tariffs on its own was not the best approach.

“It had to be accompanied by an industrialisation strategy for the region which would create an environment that fosters sustained and equitable growth and progress within the region,” said Dr Shava.

To make this idea of integration a reality, Zimbabwe introduced the industrialisation agenda during the 34th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Victoria Falls soon after last assuming the chairmanship of the regional bloc.

This culminated in the adoption of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, which is aligned with Africa’s Economic blueprint, “Agenda 2063; the Africa we want.”

The Minister commended President Mnangagwa for introducing innovation hubs in institutions of higher learning, which he described as melting pots where heterogeneous creative minds meet and collaborate.

Dr Shava’s comments echoed an earlier address by Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere, who on Sunday presided over a Media Awareness Day.

Dr Muswere said the week-long event will precede the meetings of senior officials and the Council of Ministers and the SADC Summit, which will take place from August 9 to 18 at the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden.

“The SADC Industrialisation Week aims to foster intra-African trade, develop cross-border value chains and identify investment opportunities in the SADC region through public-private partnerships,” said Dr Muswere.

Indeed, hosting the SADC Industrialisation Week brought several immediate benefits that had a direct impact on the economy. Given the fact that the event was attracting record delegates and visitors from across the region, there was definite revenue to be accrued for local businesses, hotels and the tourism sector.

It was not an everyday thing for any country to host thousands of visitors coming to stay in the country for about two weeks. Another critical aspect of the Industrialisation Week was that it has the effect of increasing regional cooperation.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu told delegates that the hosting of the SADC Industrialisation Week would provide multiple benefits to local companies.

“You would appreciate that Zimbabwe is a small market. It is important to explore and penetrate the region before we can think of adequately servicing the rest of the continent under AfCFTA (Africa Continental Free Trade Area),” said Minister Ndlovu, as he addressed delegates at the inception of the Industrialisation Week.

He said the hosting of the Industrialisation Week presented an opportunity for investors, financial institutions, including development finance institutions to pitch their projects to potential funders.

The event, he said, provides a platform for Zimbabwe to showcase its investment potential, attracting foreign direct investment and promoting economic growth.

On infrastructure development, hosting the event had already led to improvements in infrastructure like roads and accommodation facilities in anticipation of delegates who would be attending such a critical event on the SADC calendar.

Zimbabwe’s regional profile was likely to be enhanced by the oversubscribed attendance and just the successful hosting of the event demonstrates the country’s capacity to host high-level conferences and promoting its role in regional affairs.

Above all, knowledge sharing and capacity building were direct benefits derived from hosting the Industrialisation Week, which offered a platform for Zimbabwean businesses and stakeholders to learn from regional experts and best practices, enhancing their capacity and competitiveness.

Without doubt, the 7th SADC Industrialisation Week, is going to be one of a kind given the record attendance that it has so far attracted. It will certainly put Zimbabwe on a higher pedestal in the region and beyond.