eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
Mining captains are expected to meet in Bulawayo next week to deliberate on wide ranging matters including how the industry can leverage on economic transformation to achieve the sector’s $12 billion contribution to the country by 2023.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando will officially open this year’s Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine-Entra) expo to be held in Bulawayo next week.
The 24th edition of the expo will be held under the theme, “Accelerating Zimbabwe’s Mining Future to 2030”, and has attracted companies in the mining engineering and transport sectors from five countries namely, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, China and South Korea.
Last year, the event attracted participation from four countries. The annual event that is organised by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company will be held from July 17 to 19 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre.
In an interview yesterday, ZITF Company acting general manager Nicholas Ndebele said: “Mines and Mining Development Minister (Winston Chitando) will officially open this year’s show on Thursday
next week. This year we have five foreign countries compared to four countries last year”.
Ndebele said the show has maintained strong demand for space adding that this demonstrates resilience of the mining value chain.
“Exhibitor numbers are impressive and we are excited about the prospects for this year’s show. We have 203 direct exhibitors who have reserved space compared to a closing total of 206 last year,” he said.
“More potential exhibitors are coming through, though the momentum was temporarily disrupted by the changes on the monetary front a week ago.”
Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, will among the key speakers at this year’s event and is expected to discuss on how the mining industry can leverage on economic transformation to achieve a $12 billion mining economy by 2023.
Given Zimbabwe’s rich mineral resource base, the Government has set a target of US$12 billion mining sector contribution to the economy by 2023.
As part of achieving the projected mining sector revenue, Government has set annual targets for high-level minerals with the gold sector expected to produce 40 tonnes up from 33,2 tonnes in 2018 while the diamond and platinum sectors expected to deliver 10 million carats and 50 tonnes of refined platinum.
An inter-ministerial roundtable discussion on creating an enabling environment for mining sector growth with 2030 vision in mind would also be convened.
Professor Ncube and his counterparts, Ministers Chitando, Mangaliso Ndlovu (Industry and Commerce), Joe Biggie Matiza (Transport and Infrastructural Development) and Advocate Fortune Chasi (Energy and Power Development), would also be part of the inter-ministerial roundtable discussion panellists.
Joint suppliers and producers co-chair Sifelani Jabangwe is also expected to present a paper titled, “Enabling mineral resource-led economic growth: supply side opportunities and challenges”.
A consulting geologist Nevison Chikandiwa will also present a paper titled, “Zimbabwe’s mining potential: Towards better geological knowledge”.
Mine Entra is a trade showcase that seeks to unearth the potential, opportunities and growth prospects throughout the mining value chain and its related industry such as engineering and transport sectors.
