Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi has called for stronger efforts to promote inclusive economic growth, decent work, beneficiation and investment.
Speaking at the official opening of the inaugural Zimbabwe Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) Global Summit at Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls today, Dr Mohadi said the country’s mineral resources, energy potential, cultural heritage and youthful population provided a strong foundation for economic transformation.
“Our resources provide a strong foundation for building a productive, inclusive and prosperous economy,” he said.
Dr Mohadi said Zimbabwe’s development agenda should remain anchored on national development priorities while supporting the Sustainable Development Goals on poverty eradication, decent work, economic growth, gender equality, innovation, infrastructure, reduced inequalities and climate action.
“Our task is therefore to ensure that these objectives are not merely policy documents, but are translated into tangible improvements for our people’s lives and livelihoods,” he said.
He called for a shift from resource extraction towards value addition, beneficiation and industrial development, saying investment should create productive enterprises and decent employment.
“Economic growth must ultimately translate into sustained improvement in living standards and greater opportunities for our people,” Dr Mohadi said.
He also urged stakeholders to prepare for changes in the world of work brought about by digitalisation, new technologies and emerging forms of employment.
“New forms of employment, including platform and gig work, are developed within the appropriate framework that promotes dignity, accountability and worker protection.
Education and skills development must respond to labour-market requirements while youth entrepreneurship, innovation and research should be strengthened,” he added.
TNF Chairperson Edgar Moyo said the summit demonstrated the importance of social dialogue in driving national development, noting that government, business and labour could achieve more by working together.
“The TNF has provided a platform through which the social partners can engage on matters of national economic and social importance, exchange perspectives and seek areas of common ground. This week, we open that platform to the world,” he said.
He said the TNF had concluded its Social Compact, which was now going through Cabinet processes, and expressed hope that the summit would help move discussions from policy diagnosis to practical action.
“Let us ensure that the conversations taking place in this room continue beyond this summit,” Moyo said.
The five-day summit brings together government, business, labour, development partners, investors, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss industrialisation, investment, digital finance, climate change, youth employment, women’s economic participation, skills development and the future of work.
