Story by Stanley James, Business Editor
ZIMBABWE’s trade promotion body, ZimTrade, has reaffirmed its commitment to embrace more women and support them secure export markets for their products.
Newly appointed ZimTrade board members, Mrs Josphine Takundwa and Mrs Pamela Tairoodza recently paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Frederick Shava.
The meeting saw Zimtrade reaffirming its commitment to the government’s national export development drive which has seen Zimbabwe recording an upward trend in foreign currency receipts.
While exports are increasing, the newly appointed board members have also reiterated the importance of women’s inclusion in export growth and overall economic development.
“The key result areas are based on what needs to be done for Zimbabwe to register increased exports taking into account the interventions by the government and how they can further scale up export performance, remember the inclusion of the female entrepreneurs has a net positive effect in stimulating overall value chains,” said Mrs Takundwa.
“The issue of export development is a key thrust of our mandate so working with all related parties will also enable ZimTrade to do its best on what is needed to boost the country’s export development drive in key sectors of the economy, our meeting with the Minister provided an important platform on what needs to be done our key roles, identifying challenges and mapping the way forward,” said ZimTrade Board Member Mrs Pamela Tairoodza.
The newly appointed board members are also expected to offer more strategies on the country’s export promotion drive in the regional and global markets.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has also introduced several measures to increase exports, chief among them the upward review in terms of export earnings retention thresholds from 60 percent to 75 percent.