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George Maponga in Masvingo

Over 200 high-profile delegates are expected to converge in Chiredzi town, next week for the inaugural Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs strategic conference.

The conference, scheduled from April 8-10, is expected to add impetus to formalisation of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector and position it as an arch anchor of the national economy as Zimbabwe angles to attain upper middle income economy status by 2030.

The Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs is organising the three-day conference in partnership with a local advisory company Alinial Chartered Accountants Private Limited.

The highlight of the event will be the unveiling of the US$1,7 million electronic membership platform.

The electronic membership platform will improve visibility and access to players in the MSMEs sector via a national database with a formalised players.

According to the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs national secretary general Mr Venancio Kurauone, the conference is motivated by the need to make sure capacity utilisation increases within the MSMEs sector which he says remained appallingly low but could be revved up to stimulate national economic growth.

Mr Kurauone said the need to formalise the country’s MSMEs sector is in sync with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of ”Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo”, noting that the small and medium enterprises sector has potential to stimulate economic growth and help Zimbabwe quickly attain Vision 2030 goals.

He said the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs hopes to have helped over 5 million MSMEs to formalise by the year 2030.

”The Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs itself will be on the spotlight at the inaugural strategic conference.

“Our two main goals that we hope to achieve at the conference are; making the chamber a corporate organisation with institutional capacity to support and develop MSMEs to operate as sustainable businesses.

“We also hope to make sure MSMEs realise the need and importance of formalising their operations,” said Mr Kurauone.

Cabinet Ministers, headlined by the Minister of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa, are billed to speak at the conference that will also be attended by other stakeholders such as insurance firms, building contractors’ representatives, among others.