TRADE development and promotion agency, ZimTrade, has extended its annual conference to a full week and rebranded it to the ‘Zimbabwe Exporters Week’ to showcase local trade opportunities.
The event is scheduled for October 14-18 in Bulawayo, next month, and will feature a diverse program of workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities.
In a statement, ZimTrade chariman Kupukile Mlambo said rebranding the event to Zimbabwe Exporters Week reflected its expanded scope and focus.
“Previously known as the ZimTrade Annual Exporters Conference, we have extended the event to a full week to allow for more in-depth discussions and exploration of export opportunities,” Mlambo said.
The week is expected to kick off with a digital skills training session in partnership with Google Africa on October 15.
This initiative is designed to equip youth and female-led businesses with the tools and knowledge to leverage digital platforms for business growth.
The agency sees the event as crucial in supporting some of the existing ZimTrade projects such as the Eagles Nest and Next She Exporter.
These two projects have successfully capacitated female and youth-led businesses for export into the region and beyond.
“One of the highlights of this year’s event is the Buyers Shop at Zim seminar, providing a platform for local businesses to connect with international buyers and explore potential export opportunities in different markets,” ZimTrade said.
“Buyers from countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Namibia and UK, are expected to attend.
“This event is in line with ZimTrade’s services to promote Zimbabwean products for export into various markets through inward and outward missions as well as facilitation of local companies at trade fairs across the world.”
The main event, the Exporters Conference and Awards, will take place on October 17 under the theme ‘Qala, Tanga, Start’.
The weeklong event will also include, industry experts, policymakers, and business leaders, to discuss strategies for increasing exports and achieving the national target of US$14 billion by 2030.
“The President of Zimbabwe, Dr. ED (Emmerson Dambudzo) Mnangagwa will be the Guest of Honour at the event and is expected to provide valuable insights into the government’s vision for export growth and the measures being taken by the government to support Zimbabwean businesses,” ZimTrade said.
Mlambo emphasised the importance of fostering dialogue, linkages, and partnerships between delegates and business leaders.
“By addressing industry-specific challenges, we aim to produce actionable resolutions that will inform our future activities and improve Zimbabwe’s export capacity,” he said.
“By working together, we can drive Zimbabwe’s export growth and contribute to the country’s economic development.”
The agency encouraged local businesses to participate in the event so that they can gain valuable insights into international markets, establish new partnerships, and expand their export reach.
One of the biggest challenges facing trade opportunities in the country are the highly priced local goods owing to the high-cost structures in local manufacturing due to exchange rate volatility and taxes.
Zimbabwe is constantly facing huge trade deficits monthly with its top exported products lacking diversity as this is primarily dominated by gold, tobacco, and cotton.