Matabeleland North Province is courting Belarusian heavy equipment manufacturers to establish production and assembly plants in Zimbabwe as part of efforts to accelerate industrialisation, create jobs and strengthen the province’s role as an emerging economic hub.
The investment drive follows a provincial delegation’s participation at the Belagro 2026 International Agricultural Exhibition in Belarus last week, where officials engaged leading manufacturers of agricultural, mining, municipal and water management equipment on potential investment opportunities.
Leading the delegation, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo said the province is leveraging its expanding agricultural and mining sectors to attract strategic manufacturing investment.
“Our objective is to bring manufacturing closer to the province by attracting Belarusian companies to establish production and assembly plants in Matabeleland North. This will not only reduce the cost of accessing modern equipment but also create jobs, promote skills transfer and strengthen our industrial base,” said Moyo.
He said the province’s growing economic activity presents significant opportunities for international manufacturers seeking to expand into Zimbabwe and the wider Southern African market.
“Matabeleland North is experiencing significant growth in agriculture, mining and infrastructure development, creating a ready market for heavy equipment. We are confident that Belarusian manufacturers will find the province an attractive and competitive investment destination,” he said.
Minister Moyo said engagements with Belarusian companies had been positive, with the province inviting manufacturers to establish operations that would support farmers, mining companies and local authorities.
“The engagements we held in Belarus were encouraging. We invited the manufacturers to invest in Matabeleland North and take advantage of the opportunities presented by our farmers, mining companies and local authorities, who require modern machinery to drive production and service delivery,” he said.
He said attracting manufacturing investment would deepen industrialisation, enhance technology transfer, promote value addition and increase the province’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Our participation at Belagro 2026 is part of a broader strategy to position Matabeleland North as a hub for industrialisation, value addition and sustainable economic growth in line with the national development agenda,” said Minister Moyo.
The investment drive comes as Matabeleland North prepares to host its Provincial Economic and Investment Forum in Bulawayo this week, where local and international investors are expected to explore opportunities across agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure development.
