Bulawayo, (New Ziana) — The country’s industrial strategy should be built on Bulawayo’s manufacturing base while unlocking the economic potential of every province, a senior government official has said.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo, Judith Ncube said this at a Ministry of Industry and Commerce strategic planning workshop in the city.
The four day workshop is reviewing the Ministry’s performance and challenges, and setting priorities to support National Development Strategy(NDS) 2.
The strategy aims to promote job creation, industrial growth, economic opportunities and improved livelihoods.
Ncube said the city’s role as an industrial hub made it a fitting venue to discuss the country’s economic transformation.
“While this workshop takes place in Bulawayo, the strategic roadmap developed here must serve all ten provinces of Zimbabwe,” she said.
Ncube called for industrial policies that reflect the country’s diverse strengths, from agricultural processing and mining to engineering, textiles and trade.
“Our industrial policies must be national in scope, competitive in execution and localised in impact,” she said, adding that the Ministry’s plans should align with devolution and support the comparative advantages of each province.
She said stronger provincial industries would contribute to national growth and help Zimbabwe achieve its goal of becoming an empowered, prosperous upper-middle-income society by 2030.
“Strong provincial industries are essential to national growth and to achieving our goal of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society by 2030,” Ncube said.
She urged delegates to turn their discussions into practical measures to increase manufacturing capacity, improve competitiveness, expand trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area and create sustainable employment.
“When local industries in our provinces thrive, the national economy prospers,” she said.
Bulawayo’s industrial revival is being pursued through government support for retooling, policies aimed at protecting local producers and initiatives to attract investment.
New Ziana
