Business / Economy
Cyril Ramaphosa coming for this year's ZITF in Bulawayo
29 Apr 2011 at 12:57hrs | Views
SOUTH African business mogul and former African National Congress (ANC) boss, Cyril Ramaphosa, will grace this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
The National Economic Consultative Conference (NECF) told Radio VOP that it has already lined up five top local and international business leaders to address its International Business Conference which will run parallel to ZITF 2011.
The ZITF will be held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city in the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre beginning on May 4.
A ZITF spokesperson told Radio VOP that this year's focus was to create an open forum for public and private sector discussion on how to develop and exploit Zimbabwe's competitive advantage.
This is intended to make Zimbabwe the "Premier Investment Destination".
She said top speakers who had already confirmed to participate included SA tycoon, Cyril Ramaphosa, currently working for the Shanduka Group Limited in South Africa, Engineer Josh Chifamba, the new Chief Executive of struggling parastatal, the Zimbabwe Electricity Authority Holdings Limited (Zesa), Douglas Mboweni Chief Executive of telecommunications giant, Econet Wireless Holdings Limited (Econet), the largest mobile network operator in the country with more than five million customers connected, Dr Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank (ADB), and Richard Mbaiwa, Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA).
The ZIA recently opened what it said is a One Stop Shop" in Harare to quicked project approvals from about three months too six days after invoice.
Once rated as the largest and most influential gathering of local and international business leaders in Zimbabwe, the annual ZITF is now very mediocre and has been overshadowed by other international events such as the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).
Many foreign exhibitors have pulled the plug on the ZITF saying Zimbabwe is not a good investment destination, has lopsided investment regulations and its government under President Robert Mugabe does not respect property rights, among other problems.
So far no Head of State or Government has agreed to officially open the week-long event.
The ZITF Chairman is consultant, Nhlanhla Masuku, Managing Director of USK Marketing and Consultancy (Private) Limited.
The National Economic Consultative Conference (NECF) told Radio VOP that it has already lined up five top local and international business leaders to address its International Business Conference which will run parallel to ZITF 2011.
The ZITF will be held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city in the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre beginning on May 4.
A ZITF spokesperson told Radio VOP that this year's focus was to create an open forum for public and private sector discussion on how to develop and exploit Zimbabwe's competitive advantage.
This is intended to make Zimbabwe the "Premier Investment Destination".
She said top speakers who had already confirmed to participate included SA tycoon, Cyril Ramaphosa, currently working for the Shanduka Group Limited in South Africa, Engineer Josh Chifamba, the new Chief Executive of struggling parastatal, the Zimbabwe Electricity Authority Holdings Limited (Zesa), Douglas Mboweni Chief Executive of telecommunications giant, Econet Wireless Holdings Limited (Econet), the largest mobile network operator in the country with more than five million customers connected, Dr Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank (ADB), and Richard Mbaiwa, Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA).
The ZIA recently opened what it said is a One Stop Shop" in Harare to quicked project approvals from about three months too six days after invoice.
Once rated as the largest and most influential gathering of local and international business leaders in Zimbabwe, the annual ZITF is now very mediocre and has been overshadowed by other international events such as the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).
Many foreign exhibitors have pulled the plug on the ZITF saying Zimbabwe is not a good investment destination, has lopsided investment regulations and its government under President Robert Mugabe does not respect property rights, among other problems.
So far no Head of State or Government has agreed to officially open the week-long event.
The ZITF Chairman is consultant, Nhlanhla Masuku, Managing Director of USK Marketing and Consultancy (Private) Limited.
Source - RadioVOP
