Forum to critically discuss economic question
OPENING remarks by Wisdom Mdzungairi (pictured), Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) editor-in-chief at the first edition of the Zimbabwe Annual Investor Forum.
I would like to thank my colleague, Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba, for her tireless running around to make ensure this event came to fruition, CEO Kenias Mafukidze for his leadership, the AMH board and all AMH colleagues for their support, without which this event would not have been successful.
I welcome you all to the inaugural Zimbabwe Annual Investor Forum, a partnership between the AMH’s business publication Zimbabwe Independent and PiggyBankAdvisor. This is being held under the theme “Sustainable Long-Term Investment Opportunities”.
This investor forum is set to be a key part of our events calendar as we endeavour to play our part in the development of Zimbabwe’s economy.
With several other important products, such as the Banks and Banking Survey, which has been an important feature of the Zimbabwe Independent calendar for 22 years, we are convinced that the country’s biggest business title will help the Second Republic chart a positive trajectory.
The presentations that you will observe today will help analyse developments in the economy and give pointers to the future direction of the country as they resonate with what our economy requires now, especially with volatile exchange rates, unstable inflation, foreign currency shortages and rocketing prices.
While we have seen improved foreign direct investment into the economy, especially in the mining sector, we feel that FDI could be better if the pursuit for a more hospitable investment climate is scaled up.
It is not right for an economy with so much potential like Zimbabwe to receive only 10% of what some of our regional peers are getting in some cases.
But as a newspaper, we have taken it upon ourselves to come up with forums like these to help our country reach important targets such as those set under the National
Development Strategy 1, and His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030.
We are determined to make the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” campaign a reality, through important gatherings like these, and through constructive criticism thus, pointing out weaknesses in our policy direction through our frank and unbiased coverage of the national economy (Nyika Inovakwa nevene vayo!).
Hence, this forum is one such event to bring media, government and industry together to critically discuss the economic question.
We are extremely honoured and indebted to see that the President has acknowledged the importance of the trajectory that we are taking and agreed to make the key note presentation to this conference today.
This is no small thing for us, Your Excellency and we are happy to share with you that working together as one force, Zimbabwe can be turned into the heartbeat of this region’s economic development.
You have already demonstrated this through the highly successful road rehabilitation (infrastructure development) programme, which has turned extremely bad roads into modest pathways that we are happy to us.
But still more needs to be done — especially the need to cool off current jitters remains imperative, so is the need to stabilise our currency and provide foreign currency to businesses driving this economy.
Prices have risen beyond many of our citizens’ reach, and we feel that this must be a matter of priority.
Our key note speaker, and guest speaker, President Mnangagwa will give us an in-depth analysis of state of Zimbabwe’s economy and more measures that are underway to improve living standards.
Thank you, and may your endeavours grow from strength to strength.
It is my hope that the deliberations from this forum will help authorities to come up with policies to take this great country forward.
Finally, I extend my congratulations to all winners at this year’s inaugural annual investor forum, who will receive their accolades today.