eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
Need for concerted efforts amongst policymakers and industry players to safely deliver Zimbabwe from the menace of Covid-19 pandemic will headline deliberations at this year’s CEO Africa annual roundtable conference to be held from the 27th to the 29th of October in Victoria Falls.
This year’s edition of the CEO Africa annual roundtable which will run under the theme “Charting the Recovery Curve, Building Momentum – Crashing Barriers, Creating Impact” seeks to deliberate critical issues in the economy and inspire the growth of a vibrant Zimbabwe’s economy going forward, particularly following battering by Covid – 19 pandemic.
The meeting is anticipated to debate a number of macro-economic forecasts by the government as well as outlining the role of the public and private sector in the resuscitation of the local economy.
Hitherto, a number of eminent speakers have confirmed participation at the occasion, which will be officially opened by President Mnangagwa.
Also, to headline the event is Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya, West Properties founder and chairman Kenneth Sharpe, African Union’s Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining Ambassador Albert Muchanga, SRS Aviation Managing Director Sibongile Sambo, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) representative El Mekwad Khaled, among other speakers.
At the event, Dr Mangudya is expected to outline the prevailing monetary phenomenon and how it intends to bring about the much-needed macroeconomic stability, particularly in line with the meeting’s theme, ‘charting the recovery curve, building momentum, crashing barriers, creating impact’.
Addressing the media yesterday CEO Africa Roundtable executive chairman Oswell Binha, noted that an organised and strategic turnaround is required to reposition the country’s economy following the menace posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which indiscriminately left a trail of economic destruction in most sectors of the economy.
“The pandemic is leaving a trail of destruction across the global economy. It has affected labour markets and global supply chains and ultimately, is forcing business leaders to rethink their business models.
“As the global economy is starting to experience positive economic improvements, the human and economic effects of the pandemic continue to accrue in Zimbabwe, necessitating the need for concerted efforts amongst policymakers, industry players and other stakeholders to safely bringing the Zimbabwean economy out of the corona cave.
“…and a systematic and calculated turnaround is required to achieving optimum recovery in the shortest period possible.” said Binha
CEO Africa annual roundtable as well intends to create a robust economic foundation in tandem with the government’s objective of attaining a prosperous upper-middle-income economy by 2030 and realising National Development Strategy 1 (NDS) economic goals.
In June 2021 World Bank Economic update indicated that Zimbabwe’s economy contracted by 4 percent in 2020.
The Government is however optimistic about attaining positive growth led by a 34 growth in agriculture, improved electricity supply, and lower inflation as we approach the year-end.
According to World Bank Research, factory closures in China, Europe, the United States, and other countries led to a drop in the supply of exportable goods, disruption in global value chains, and a global trade decline.
