Source: Rejoice Chingwaru, NewsDay
Zimbabwean youths have been urged to take part in business in a quest to attract both domestic and foreign investment to boost the economy.
Speaking at the Young Entrepreneurs’ Business Forum breakfast meeting yesterday, permanent secretary in the Macro Economic Planning and Investment Promotion ministry Desire Sibanda said young entrepreneurs should participate in the country’s bid to attract investment.
“The government, through the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, has identified the introduction of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a vital pillar of its strategy to turn around the economy and youths should fully participate,” Sibanda said.
SEZs are areas in which business and trade laws differ from the rest of the country and are located within national borders; their aims include increased trade, investment, job creation and effective administration.
Sibanda also said SEZs would boost the “ailing” Zimbabwean economy and transform industry.
“SEZs will help turn around the economy, resuscitate the ailing industries, increase our international competitiveness in the production of goods and services, promote value-added manufactured products, create jobs and thus lead to economic growth and development,” he said.
The president of Zimbabwe- South Africa Forum, Anele Ndlovu, described Zimbabweans as hard workers and great achievers who lacked publicity.
“Zimbabwe is not well marketed and this is because Zimbabweans achieve great things, but do not tell their stories,” Ndlovu said. He said the absence of Zimbabwean exhibitors at international exhibitions and functions meant that the country was missing opportunities to meet with investors.
“We did not have Zimbabwe inventors at the last Demo Africa hosted in South Africa and the inventors lost a good opportunity to meet with investors,” Ndlovu said.
Source: Rejoice Chingwaru, NewsDay