ZIMTRADE will host its annual Exporters Conference and Awards on February 20 this year under the theme, Rooted Locally, Growing Globally, as the national trade development and promotion agency steps up efforts to boost Zimbabwe’s exports.
With trade increasingly shaping bilateral relations worldwide, ZimTrade aims to strengthen the promotion of locally produced goods in international markets.
This year’s conference and awards ceremony will provide networking, learning and recognition opportunities designed to enhance profitability and resilience within Zimbabwe’s export sector.
In a statement, ZimTrade said the flagship industry event had been rescheduled and will now take place at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo.
ZimTrade chief executive officer Allan Majuru said the conference would play a critical role in sustaining momentum in value-added exports.
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“Our goal is to sustain and accelerate this momentum in value-added exports,” he said.
“Strategic alignment between government policy and business execution is critical. This conference is the definitive platform to forge that collaboration and set our national export agenda for the year.”
The conference is designed as a high-level dialogue, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa expected to attend as a guest of honour alongside Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister, Amon Murwira.
According to ZimTrade, the event will offer exporters a rare opportunity to engage directly with national leadership on policy and practice affecting the export sector.
Participants will also gain insights from an international lineup of speakers, including Mitslal Kifleyesus-Matschie, founder and chief executive officer of Ecopia (Ethiopia); Alex Musembi, co-founder and general manager of Africa Collect Textiles (Kenya); and Nicholas Mudungwe, executive director of the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (Ethiopia).
The awards segment will recognise excellence across the export value chain, from SME Exporter of the Year to major sector champions.
Majuru said the Intra-Africa Trade Award, in particular, seeks to recognise exporters advancing Zimbabwe’s participation in continental trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The award promotes and encourages pioneers who are transforming Zimbabwe’s trade profile by actively participating in intra-Africa trade and championing the opportunities presented by AfCFTA,” he said.
