By Yolanda Moyo
KENYAN President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to officially open the 62nd edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on the 29th of April, as the two nations cement trade relations.
President Kenyatta has accepted the invitation from President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the patron of ZITF, to officiate at the multi-sectoral exhibition.
Addressing the media in Bulawayo this Thursday, ZITF board chairperson Busisa Moyo said they look forward to taking advantage of President Kenyatta’s visit and participation by a business delegation from Kenya to make new connections.
“The current level of trade, as well as the potential opportunities in trade between Zimbabwe and Kenya, is favourable, with the 2020 trade map statistics highlighting Kenya as an export market for our cereals, sugar, wood and wood articles, while we, in turn, benefitted from their animal and vegetable fat, plastics, electrical machinery and equipment industries,” he said.
“We look forward to using President Kenyatta’s visit and participation by a business delegation from Kenya to make new connections and develop this relationship further for the mutual benefit of our economies.”
A total of 332 direct exhibitors have since booked for this year’s international multi-sectoral trade showcase.
“This represents 87 percent of the space made available for sale. 28 of these are exhibiting for the first time. International exhibitors from six foreign nations have thus booked exhibition stands namely: Angola, Japan, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. We expect this number to increase in the coming weeks as more confirmations continue to come in,” said Moyo.
One of the major highlights of this year’s exhibition is the Connect Africa Symposium, which seeks to offer solutions to challenges such as technology, investments and infrastructure development on the continent.
Due to the relaxation of COVID-19 regulations, ZITF will be open to members of the public including children under the age of 18.