eBusiness Weekly
Oliver Kazunga
The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) roars into life next week amid renewed interest by captains of industry and stakeholders who feel the event is likely to create new markets for local businesses on the back of Covid -19 induced disturbances and current shocks being caused by Russia/Ukraine war.
Although the world is not yet safe following the outbreak of the Covid -19 pandemic that was first recorded in China in December 2019, the respiratory disease which has killed millions of people globally is now on the recession mode.
As a result of the adverse effects of the pandemic, world economies embarked on national lockdowns and travel restrictions as part of a host measures in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to contain the infectious disease.
It is in this context that Zimbabwe, which recorded first Covid-19 case in March 2020, had to suspend the 61st edition of country’s premier trade showcase for the first time in the history of the event before re-introducing it late last year but under stringent conditions.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) immediate past vice president, Joseph Gunda, said the 62nd edition of the trade fair is unique in that it was coming after the Covid-19 pandemic cases were showing some signs of declining.
“This year’s ZITF is quite unique in that it’s coming after global Covid-19 cases have shown a spiral downward trend. It is in this context that every business is trying to strategise to regain ground. We had a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) as stakeholders ahead of the trade fair, and the ZITF Company highlighted that 514 exhibitors have registered for the show.
“Therefore, as industry and commerce, in line with this year’s theme, we are returning to the ZITF with renewed interest and high hopes that the show will reinvigorate the ground that had been lost on account of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
This year’s ZITF will be running under the theme, “Rethink, Reimagine, Reinvent Value Chains for Economic Development.”
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will be the guest of honour at the official opening scheduled for Friday April 29.
Zambia, Angola, Belarus, Botswana, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa are some of the countries that have confirmed participation.
The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) chief executive, Christopher Mugaga, said: “As a chamber, we are one of the shareholders of the ZITF Company. So, we are not only looking at exhibitors renewing interest and securing markets for their products or services, but we are also willing and ready to host visitors.”
Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe immediate past president, Dr Israel Murefu, said they are looking forward to a situation where people will be able to contribute through employment as national lockdowns are now behind.
“And through this year’s ZITF as employers we expect deliberations to be around pension funds investing offshore to assist in the preservation of value. Through such deliberations linkages within the pensions industry can be created,” he said.
The ZITF Company chief executive officer, Dr Nick Ndebele, said this year’s trade fair was reverting to its traditional five-day event which starts on Tuesday ending on Saturday.
The first three days are devoted to business-to-business interactions and deal-making and the last two days are open to the public, meaning that children are also allowed at the show.
“This year we are not restricting children from the show, in fact we want them to come and sample how industry and commerce, the public sector has been able to rethink, re-imagine and re-invent value chains for the development of the economy.
“This is why we have physical presence for Scholastic, the Innovators forum which programmes are devoted largely to the youths,” said Dr Ndebele.
On the official opening day, there will be mass displays including drum majorettes because children are now available to enjoy and sample as well as participating in such kinds of events.
“The desire is to revert to the traditional events calendar where we will have our Mine Entra in July while in September we have our Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel and Tourism Fair.”
He said the ZITF Company encourages all stakeholders to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to increase the level of head protection at the show.
“We still insist that all exhibitors, contractors, suppliers and vendors are required to produce a Covid-19 free certificate either Rapid Antigen test or a PCR test which has been taken no later than 48 hours before the show begins.
“The simple reason for this is that exhibitors are the people that will be manning the stands throughout and they are much more exposed to Covid-19 and naturally they interact with more people, perhaps than people would ordinarily interact with each other,” said Dr Ndebele.
For the rest of people or ordinary visitors, the ZITF Company insists that they observe social distancing, sanitise and mask-up.
“For those of our visitors and invited guests who will be in the VIP and VVIP section particularly on the official opening day, we advise that they should have a Covid-19 free test.
“To make it easy for everyone, we will be providing several service providers by the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre at minimal or at no cost just to provide that service,” he said.
