By Gift Mashoko

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has told youths that Government remains committed in its resolve to develop young people as provided for in the Constitution.

Speaking at the National Youth Indaba in Harare today, President Mnangagwa also told the youths that the new dispensation appreciates the roles played by youths in socio-economic development.

“My Government remains committed in its resolve to develop young people as provided for in our Constitution, the national youth policy and the SADC declaration on youth empowerment and development. We will continue to scale up, sharpen and deepen reforms as we seek to revitalise the various youth empowerment initiatives, but this requires your input.

“Government is very much alive to the vital roles that the youth play in socio-economic development and in pursuit of our national aspirations. When we talk about creating a new Zimbabwe, we have you the youth of our country in mind,” he said.

President Mnangagwa encouraged the youths to take advantage of the opportunities Government offers as they modernise and industrialise.

“It is only through positive collaborative efforts that we will witness the growth, modernisation and industrialisation we desire as a nation. The establishment of the empowerment bank and women’s micro-finance bank should be utilised as the vehicles to reciprocate the job revolution in our country,” he said.

He urged youths to utilise the present instruments of empowerment to raise a new generation of jobs of the future, jobs of a modern high technical and industrialised Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa highlighted on some of the projects which he recently launched, among them the national fibre optic back bone which will see a more widely distributed, efficient and affordable internet connectivity throughout the country. As well as the India-Africa incubation centre which focuses on equipping young people with skills to start their own businesses.

Youths who spoke to The Harare Post on the sidelines of the interface said that they were pleased to meet President Mnangagwa and expressed hope of a bright future ahead.