Beverly Bizeki
All roads lead to the Flamboyant Hotel in Masvingo as the second edition of the Masvingo Business Expo set for November 16 roars to life.
With over 200 exhibitors expected for this year’s edition, Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa who was representing Minister of State Ezra Chadzamira at a press conference held today (November 15) said the expo was meant to showcase Masvingo province and highlight investment opportunities.
“The main objective of the business expo is to highlight investment opportunities in Masvingo, there are so many opportunities flying around, the President speaks about research and development while another key objective is to present investors with an opportunity to articulate issues they are facing in trying to invest in Masvingo province so it is like a feedback mechanism because investment facilitating agencies will be there to get feedback from potential investors or those already in the field so that we have an investor-friendly climate.
“More importantly at this expo, we are opening up an opportunity to investment facilitating institutions to articulate procedure requirements for investors investing in Masvingo or the country at large. Some investors are dying to get information and we are saying these agencies will have an opportunity to educate our potential clients on the requirements if you are to open a business or if you are to invest,” he said.
Dr Pazvakavambwa said exhibition prices were pegged at US$30 for startups, US$50 for Small to Medium Enterprises, and US$250 for corporates and said that at least 100 exhibitors had already booked for the business expo.
He said the prices pegged were also cognizant of the vulnerable groups including women and youths which is why it was pegged at US$30 per table for SMEs, which he said was affordable and allows more people to participate in the expo.
“We want to open up the business expo for vulnerable groups to come and learn as you hear the President talking about a knowledge-based economy so the first port of call is to learn that’s why we are bringing Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, so for a start, we are pegging low prices for startups so that they come, participate and get information which they will use in doing business and investing so we will continuously engage the youth as an important sector for our country,” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
The business expo Chairperson Clever Chingwara said investment facilitating institutions will help young people and women to register their businesses.
“The investment facilitating institutions will assist the young people to register their companies which is why we have invited institutions such as Procurement Authority of Zimbabwe and ZIMRA,” said Chingwara.
The business expo was launched last year.
