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Africa Moyo

Deputy News Editor

President Mnangagwa has approved the hosting of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) from April 26 to 30 this year.

ZITF Company chairman Mr Busisa Moyo confirmed the development on Tuesday, adding that the international, multi-sectoral exhibition would be held under the theme, “Rethink, Re-imagine, Re-invent Value Chains for Economic Development”.

“The ZITF Company Board and Management wishes to officially inform all stakeholders that His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, has approved the hosting of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair from 26 – 30 April 2022,” said Mr Moyo.

He said this year’s theme locates ZITF as the nerve centre for driving adaptability, agility and resilience.

“It highlights the need for disruptive thinking enabling economic players to identify future disruptors, craft and implement change strategies as the environment and needs of the business/economy change,” said Mr Moyo.

In the last two years, he said, supply chains that lacked global resilience, broke down in the face of multi-country disruptions owing largely to the Covid-19 pandemic. National lockdowns, travel restrictions and labour market shifts slowed and even temporarily stopped the flow of raw materials and finished goods, disrupting manufacturing as a result.

Added Mr Moyo: “More often than not, the pandemic accelerated and magnified problems that already existed in supply chains by exposing previously unseen vulnerabilities.

“ZITF 2022 will therefore focus on the need for strategic transformation in the configuration and operation of local value chains and regional value chains (RVCs). By leveraging networking opportunities at the tradeshow and interacting with new ways of doing business, participants can re-imagine their business models and reconfigure their supply chains to become more flexible, agile and resilient.”

The ZITF 2022 theme also feeds into the National Development Strategy NDS 1, which seeks to create new and accelerate the domestication of existing value chains by promoting diversification and competitiveness.

Exhibitors are therefore encouraged to take their best innovations to ZITF 2022, which reflect their capabilities to formulate innovative, home-grown solutions that match global standards.

Mr Moyo said exhibition bookings have begun and the response has “been very positive”.

“Based on the success and learnings of last year’s show, the ZITF Company wishes to assure its various stakeholders of its commitment to ensuring that all reasonable steps will be taken to promote and maintain safe and healthy conditions for participants.

“We will continue to work with local and national health authorities to format the show in a manner that complies with health and safety regulations and minimises exposure risk to Covid-19,” said Mr Moyo.

Traditionally, the ZITF is held in April, spilling into early May, but last year’s event took place in September after a surge in Covid-19 cases.