CLOSE to 400 delegates from across Zimbabwe and the region have assembled for the Inaugural Diaspora Hybrid Investment Conference at the multi-million Zebra Hilltop Lodge, 50km west of Beitbridge town.
The conference began on Thursday and ends today.
Officials from local authorities and government departments in Matabeleland South province are bringing the delegates up to speed about existing investment opportunities in the province bordering Botswana and South Africa.
In her opening remarks on Thursday this week, Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Evelyn Ndlovu implored the delegates to engage and shape the country’s economic future.
“As we gather here today, we are not just representatives of different industries and sectors. We are pioneers, innovators and change-makers,” she said.
“We are here to shape the future of our provincial and, ultimately, national economy to create pathways to growth and forge enduring partnerships which would assist us achieve a greater vision of being our Rainbow Province.”
Ndlovu asked potential investors to take advantage of the province’s numerous natural and proximity to South African ports of Durban and Port Elizabeth to establish manufacturing industries.
“We are here in Beitbridge, the busiest port in southern Africa and with its strategic location, rich resources and dynamic workforce, Matabeleland South is poised for growth,” she said.
An official from the Umzingwane Rural District Council told delegates of the vast tourist sites yearning for investment at Diana Pools, Lumina Falls and several other sites including rare granite rocks found only in eight sites worldwide.
Other attractions are the 170-metre Matshatshatsha Falls and vast gold deposits in the district close to Bulawayo and accessible through Amador Highway from Beitbridge to Bulawayo.
Several other presenters from the province’s seven districts are expected to address the conference, showcasing possible investment opportunities.
Ndlovu said the province was ready to provide a conducive climate for investments.