ZITF board still unaware who will officially open the Trade Fair in April

Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company board members are in the dark as to who will officially open the 53rd trade exhibition in Bulawayo in April.

The trade fair is set to run from April 24-28 under the theme "Investing locally, reaping globally".

ZITF general manager Daniel Chigaru on Tuesday said they are still to get fed back from Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the President's Office.

"On the person who would be officially opening we have not been told. We are working with the ministry of Industry and Commerce who also work with the Office of the President. We are still waiting for communication of the identify of that person" said Chigaru after a board meeting.

Normally, it is the president's office that decides who to invite as guest of honor.

Last year the fair was officially opened by Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank) president Jean Louis Ekra.

However, turning to the number of confirmed exhibitors, ZITF chairman Bekithemba Nkomo said total bookings amount to 330 direct exhibitors of which 14 are from the region.

"Bookings and enquiries are coming on a daily basis from within Zimbabwe and abroad. 85 percent of the available space has been booked so far. The net available space for bookings is 54,540 square meters" he added.

Nkomo said on the one day international business conference under the theme "Investing Locally, Building Local capacity and reaping dividends globally: Turning a rich resources-base into an industrial hub" economist Mthuli Ncube, vice president of Africa Development Bank and Carlos Lima,he director of International and Institutional Affairs, Afro-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce are set to give speeches.