Story by Stanley James, Business Editor
Construction of the US$100 million Afreximbank Southern Africa Regional Office and Trade Centre in Harare is expected to be completed by September this year.
When the government granted land to Afreximbank to build a landmark facility for trade promotion in 2021, restored business confidence in Zimbabwe was high on the agenda.
With an assessment of the project by its property management firm, Integrated Properties, on Wednesday showing construction works are at an advanced stage, the development has also set the tone for the transformation of Zimbabwe’s business landscape.
“The purpose of this assessment is to monitor and evaluate the project scope, taking into account the fact that most of the construction works are reaching finalisation.
“We are on track to meet all of our targets riding on the current developments, basically we are targeting the completion of all the works by September this year,” Integrated Properties chief executive officer, Mike Juru said.
There are also expectations the project will position Zimbabwe as a safe and viable business portfolio.
“We hope that this facility will further scale up the business portfolio of the capital city already we started our work to identify those that will also occupy the facility, but, the key thrust is on the green building structures that are also being embraced.
“We are destined for exciting times as we seek to ensure the facility realises its dreams of a regional business and economic hub. It is in the interest of the nation that the project will be an economic catalyst for growth riding on the current trajectory,” Dr Juru said.
The project will comprise a regional office, a world-class hotel, a conference centre, business facilities, trade information hubs and shopping malls, among other features.
Afreximbank investments for Zimbabwe continue to increase, with the Egypt-headquartered Pan African Bank pledging more support to economic development programmes by availing long-term loans and funding facilities at concessionary lending terms.
