Tsvangirai urges the nation to unite for economic growth

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday Urged Zimbabweans to unite so that the country's educational dominance can be translated into economic growth.

In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe at the Zimbabwe International Business Conference, he said Zimbabwe could become a colossal economic force if businesses changed their mindset.

"In education, we have already surpassed African levels but we are yet to turn that into competitive value for rapid transformation and industrialisation.

"If our businesses are to survive, they need to migrate from the traditional business models typical of the pre-GNU period to ensure that the final end users of our products get value for money rather than paying for inefficiencies in the value chain," said Prime Minister Tsvangirai.

He said businesses should create business models that suited the new environment characterised by high volume production of superior products at competitive
prices.

"Let us now work on more value systems that will offer far greater opportunities for further prosperity, value additions, political stability, poverty alleviation and industrialisation. Let us harness financial, technological and market opportunities, while at the same time, rebuilding collaborative arrangements with other countries."

The Prime Minister called on the country to act with single minded resolution to communicate its determination to be the best in Africa.

"Wealth creation and wealth generation have never been negotiable as they are governed by specific rules and policies.

"On their own they constitute a raison d'etre for a collective national resolve for growing the value system. Zimbabwe's pride requires all of us as key players and stakeholders to work together through smart partnership," he said.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai said businesses needed to emulate the example set by companies such as Delta, Econet and Afrasia-Kingdom that had risen to the challenges faced by companies and excelled.

He warned that shielding local companies from foreign competition could be counter-productive.

"Empirical evidence reveals that protectionism causes inefficiencies in the economy and could be a form of tax on consumers. This does not mean, of course, that Government should at the same time fail to come up with policies that promote local industry especially on the aspect of beneficiation of our raw materials and other primary products of this country," said the PM.

He said industrial organisations were expected to collectively spearhead the economic revival cause.

"Going forward, we anticipate that the various industry groups like Zimbabwe NationaL Chamber -of Commerce (ZNCC), Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ), Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) and others will collaborate to champion the national cause rather than focus on individual interests.

"We all must continue to cherish the spirit of working together as Government, labour and business for the betterment and posterity of the nation," said Prime Minister Tsvangirai