23 Apr 2026

In the current volatile global economic environment, African countries have been urged to harness their abundant natural resources to drive economic development.

 

President Advocate Duma Boko made the observation when officially opening the 66th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on April 23. 

 

He emphasised the need for African nations to cushion themselves against economic strain by fully utilising their resources while strengthening economic resilience.

“Our success as individual countries will depend on the scope of innovation. We should move Africa from being suppliers of raw materials into a global centre of value creation. We should deploy capital in service of innovation and technologically responsive efforts,” said President Boko.

 

He highlighted the urgent need to dismantle persistent barriers to trade, including administrative bottlenecks, which continue to hamper regional trade and inflate the cost of doing business.

He said ZITF exemplified the typical entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Zimbabwe. "Botswana has a lot to learn from you. This is indeed a strong reaffirmation of the strong bonds of friendship that continues to unite our people." he added.

 

He noted that cooperation between Botswana and Zimbabwe continues to deepen across sectors such as health and infrastructure, strengthened by people-to-people relations and private sector collaboration.

President Boko further described Zimbabwe as a critical non-diamond trading partner and an important partner for Botswana’s export development.

 

He said the participation of Botswana companies at the trade fair demonstrated a firm commitment to advancing economic cooperation between the two countries.

President Boko also commended Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa for achieving macroeconomic stabilisation, noting that the country’s economy had grown at an impressive rate of 6.6 per cent.

 

“This inspires confidence in the region and across the continent. The world is watching as you steer economic growth that ushers transformation for the marginalised,” he said.

He added that the trade fair serves as a cornerstone for future collaboration, stressing that regional cooperation remains indispensable.

 

President Boko urged African countries to increase intra-African trade and translate commitments into tangible economic action.

For his part, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr Mangaliso Ndlovu, urged Botswana companies and other stakeholders to build competitive industries capable of thriving under all conditions.

He said stakeholders must work together to drive industrial transformation and unlock opportunities in regional trade.

 

Earlier, President Boko and President Mnangagwa toured various exhibition stands at the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City.

The trade fair, which runs from Monday to Saturday, has attracted exhibitors from across the region and continues to position itself as one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading multi-sectoral exhibitions. ENDS