ZITF to manage Comesa trade exhibition
Sunday News
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company has been tasked by the Ministry of Industry and International Trade with managing the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) trade exhibition that will run concurrently with the summit next month.
Zimbabwe is hosting the 13th COMESA summit from 1 to 14 May 2008, with Zimbabwe assuming the chairmanship from Kenya.
In an interview with Sunday Business on Monday, ZITF general manager, Mr Daniel Chigaru, said the company had made significant headway in organizing the COMESA exhibition to be held from 6 to 8 May. ZITF Company and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) were co-opted by the Ministry to oversee the business forum and exhibition, with the former assuming the position of deputy chair of the sub-committee.
“We expect the COMESA exhibition to take place as planned on 6-8 May. We are part of the sub committee tasked to work on the Business Forum and exhibition part together with CZI,” Mr Chigaru said.
The Business Forum is an opportunity for the COMESA business community to meet and discuss issues of common interest regarding the strengthening, deepening and expansion of trade and investment in the region.
The Business Forum is planned for May 7th and 8th, 2008. Running alongside the Business Forum will be a trade exhibition.
An estimated 500 business leaders from Zimbabwe and other COMESA countries are expected to attend the Business Forum which also provides a round-table dialogue with the COMESA Council of Ministers and an anticipated meeting with Heads of State.
The Business Forum will have a multi-pronged agenda which will facilitate discussions on key issues around attaining the COMESA Customs Union, deepening of the Free Trade Area (FTA), expansion of intra and extra-COMESA trade and trade facilitation, financial instruments for investment and growth, infrastructure development, and trade in services including ICTs and the financial sector.
The main focus during the summit would be to strengthen and consolidate the Free Trade Area (FTA), push forward the agenda of deepening integration through the Customs Union and review progress on Economic Partnership Agreement Negotiations with the European Union (EU).
The COMESA expo is set to be the stage for the country to showcase some of the products as it seeks to aggressively explore the Eastern Africa market.
Zimbabwe is also taking the opportunity to promote tourism in the country ahead of the World Cup 2010 to be hosted by South Africa.
A prerequisite of recovery for the Zimbabwean economy is that Zimbabwe substantially increases its export performance.
COMESA is a preferential trade area with 20 member states. It was formed in December 1994, replacing the Preferential Trade Area (PTA) which had existed since 1981.
Nine of the member states formed a free trade area in 2000, with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004 and the Comoros and Libya in 2006.
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company has been tasked by the Ministry of Industry and International Trade with managing the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) trade exhibition that will run concurrently with the summit next month.
Zimbabwe is hosting the 13th COMESA summit from 1 to 14 May 2008, with Zimbabwe assuming the chairmanship from Kenya.
In an interview with Sunday Business on Monday, ZITF general manager, Mr Daniel Chigaru, said the company had made significant headway in organizing the COMESA exhibition to be held from 6 to 8 May. ZITF Company and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) were co-opted by the Ministry to oversee the business forum and exhibition, with the former assuming the position of deputy chair of the sub-committee.
“We expect the COMESA exhibition to take place as planned on 6-8 May. We are part of the sub committee tasked to work on the Business Forum and exhibition part together with CZI,” Mr Chigaru said.
The Business Forum is an opportunity for the COMESA business community to meet and discuss issues of common interest regarding the strengthening, deepening and expansion of trade and investment in the region.
The Business Forum is planned for May 7th and 8th, 2008. Running alongside the Business Forum will be a trade exhibition.
An estimated 500 business leaders from Zimbabwe and other COMESA countries are expected to attend the Business Forum which also provides a round-table dialogue with the COMESA Council of Ministers and an anticipated meeting with Heads of State.
The Business Forum will have a multi-pronged agenda which will facilitate discussions on key issues around attaining the COMESA Customs Union, deepening of the Free Trade Area (FTA), expansion of intra and extra-COMESA trade and trade facilitation, financial instruments for investment and growth, infrastructure development, and trade in services including ICTs and the financial sector.
The main focus during the summit would be to strengthen and consolidate the Free Trade Area (FTA), push forward the agenda of deepening integration through the Customs Union and review progress on Economic Partnership Agreement Negotiations with the European Union (EU).
The COMESA expo is set to be the stage for the country to showcase some of the products as it seeks to aggressively explore the Eastern Africa market.
Zimbabwe is also taking the opportunity to promote tourism in the country ahead of the World Cup 2010 to be hosted by South Africa.
A prerequisite of recovery for the Zimbabwean economy is that Zimbabwe substantially increases its export performance.
COMESA is a preferential trade area with 20 member states. It was formed in December 1994, replacing the Preferential Trade Area (PTA) which had existed since 1981.
Nine of the member states formed a free trade area in 2000, with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004 and the Comoros and Libya in 2006.
