Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
GOVERNMENT is committed to enhancing the policy environment in the country to boost economic investments.
This emerged at the inaugural Mashonaland Central Agricultural Show business expo.
Mashonaland Central province is on a drive to lure investment to boost the provincial gross domestic product.
Addressing delegates at the provincial business expo, Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Christopher Magomo said the government’s main focus is to provide a conducive policy environment for a private sector-led economy.
“The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to doubling down on our support for the business community to thrive. We are channelling resources towards infrastructure projects that enable connectivity and reduce logistical barriers. We can witness dualisation of roads such as the Harare-Kanyemba roads, construction of the Boulevard Road that connects to The New Parliament and construction of four major dams here in Mashonaland Central Province to combat climate change and increase agricultural productivity through irrigation development,” he said.
The conference comes at a time when US$14.5 million was invested in the province from seven licences in the second quarter of this year.
“When we look at licences renewed which were 138, we saw actual investment standing at US$450 million. The sector with the highest projected investment value is manufacturing and the sector with the highest number of licence issues is mining and I think this is pertinent here in Mashonaland because it is a place with a lot of minerals,” said ZIDA One Stop Investment Centre coordinator, Mr. Rueben Machinga.
The inaugural business expo which ran concurrently with the annual provincial agriculture show proved an eye-opener for stakeholders.
“We called farmers and business people to bring them together to see where investment opportunities are and network. This needs to continue being done,” said Mashonaland Central Agriculture Show Society chairman, Mr Christopher Chingwaru.
Investment opportunities in the tourism, renewable energy and power development sectors also came under the spotlight with a call being made to consider providing incentives and exploring twinning arrangements to promote investment.
