by Gift Mashoko
President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the 2018 ZimTrade exporters Conference came at a time Government was working on something similar to their theme.
President Mnangagwa said this when he officially opened the 2018 ZimTrade Exporters Conference running under the theme, “Accelerating the export growth for sustainable economic development”
“The Zimtrade Exporters Conference is timely as it has come at a time when Government is accelerating government reforms in our ongoing pace to vitalise, modernise and universalise our economy in line with our national vision 2030. The theme of the conference, further resonates with our aspirations to grow our economy and ensure that we speedily re-enter the global value chains,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said exports were the most important sources of foreign currency.
“The most important source of foreign currency to drive economy is through exports especially value added goods and services. Greater strides must be made to ensure that we expand the production and range of exported manufactured and processed goods across all sectors,” he said.
The President encouraged companies to take advantage of the regional and international markets.
“To accelerate our presser to enter the global value chains, I exhort companies to utilise existing bilateral agreements as well as preferential and customs trade agreements that have been entered into, for duty free and quarter free market access with trading partners in COMESA, SADC and countries in the European Union under the interim partnership agreement.
“The coming in of the African continental Free Trade Area which was signed in March 2018 ushers in additional opportunities for Zimbabwe and companies to export into the continent in the spirit of promoting intra African Trade,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said that the agriculture sector had to be complimented and assisted where possible.
“We need therefore, to complement our agriculture productivity with high value export products such as horticulture and livestock produce. My Government and all the relevant ministries will ensure comprehensive and coordinated approach to stimulate and modernise the entire value chains across all sectors,” he said.
On the problem of foreign currency, President Mnangagwa said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Reserve Bank were working to address the challenge.
“I’m aware of the foreign currency challenges that industry is facing to import raw materials, machinery and equipment and other essential services. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe are working to ensure that critical imports are prioritised on foreign currency applications,” he said.
