THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company has set April 26 to 30 as the dates for the 2022 edition of the country’s largest exhibition.
ZITF board chairperson Busisa Moyo yesterday said President Emmerson Mnangagwa had approved the dates for this year’s exhibition, with preparations now underway for the fair.
“The ZITF Company board and management wishes to officially inform all stakeholders that His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, has approved the hosting of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair from 26 – 30 April 2022.
The international, multi-sectoral exhibition will be held under the theme, “Rethink, Reimagine, Re-invent Value Chains for Economic Development,” Moyo said. He said this year’s focus, as shown in the theme, placed the ZITF as an epicentre of driving resilience and adaptability.
“The theme locates ZITF as the nerve centre for driving adaptability, agility and resilience.
“It highlights the need for disruptive thinking, enabling economic players to identify future disruptors, craft and implement change strategies as the environment and needs of the business and economy change,” he said. Moyo said this year’s edition of the trade fair built on lessons learnt from the two-year disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the last two years, supply chains, which lacked global resilience, broke down in the face of multi-country disruptions owing largely to the Covid -19 pandemic. National lockdowns, travel restrictions and labour market shifts slowed and even temporarily stopped the flow of raw materials and finished goods, disrupting manufacturing as a result,” said Moyo.
Moyo said the pandemic accelerated and magnified problems that already existed in supply chains by exposing previously unseen vulnerabilities. He said the 2022 ZITF exhibition focuses on the need for strategic transformation in the configuration and operation of local value chains and regional value chains.
“By leveraging networking opportunities at the tradeshow and interacting with new ways of doing business, participants can reimagine their business models and reconfigure their supply chains to become more flexible, agile and resilient,” he said.
He said this year’s theme was in line with the National Development Strategy 1, which seeks to create new synergies and accelerate the domestication of existing value chains by promoting diversification and competitiveness.
Moyo invited exhibitors to bring their best innovators to the fair, in order to help build solutions for the country’s as well as global problems.
“ZITF 2022 exhibitors are encouraged to bring forth their best innovations that reflect their capabilities to formulate innovative home-grown solutions that match global standards.
“Exhibition bookings are now open and the response to the sales and marketing efforts has been very positive,” said Moyo.
He said strict health regulations in line with the prevailing Covid-19 guidelines will be adhered to throughout the exhibition days.
by
Andile Tshuma
in BULAWAYO