Source: Mine Entra roars to life – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 20, 2016
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) exhibition centre was a hive of activity yesterday with exhibitors making final preparations at their stands, while scores of people were seeking menial jobs.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
The Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) 2016 expo starts today and runs until Friday in Bulawayo under the theme “Unearthing Opportunities”.
Mine Entra is Zimbabwe’s biggest exhibition for the mining, engineering and transport sectors and their associated industries.
Activities kick off today with a one-day inaugural infrastructure development conference, which is set to attract top players in the infrastructure development value chain across the region. Some of the topics for discussion include unpacking bankable projects in Zimbabwe, funding options available for infrastructure development and the use of information and communications technologies to optimise scarce resources for road maintenance, among others.
Tomorrow, there will be Mine Entra 2016 conference set to address the immediate challenges facing the mining industry, that is, current cash crisis, the recently introduced monetary policy initiatives and their implications to the mining industry as well as incentives to support mining investment and exports.
Other key issues to be discussed include the evaluation of Zimbabwe’s beneficiation and value addition strategy for the mining sector, creating an enabling investor climate: Ease of doing business in Zimbabwe and Promoting local value chains through synergies between the manufacturing and mining sectors.
Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidakwa will be the guest of honour.
On Friday, Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation will host their own conference running under the theme: Unearthing opportunities for the artisanal and small scale mining sector in a sustainable manner.
The main objective of the conference is to ensure that mineral wealth supports sustainable economic and social development of communities and especially improve the living conditions of ASM and their dependents.
Yesterday, several exhibitors told NewsDay that they were ready for the annual expo.
“We are more than ready, as you can see we have set up our stands. We are looking forward to have a fruitful exhibition,” one local exhibitor said.
At the main exhibition entrance, scores of job seekers were milling around hoping to be hired.
According to the Mine Entra organisers, space bookings to date are 3 113m² from a total of 117 direct exhibitors.
Last year, total space booking was 4 612m² from 148 direct exhibitors.
In terms of local participation, 60% of the exhibitors are Harare-based, 35% come from Bulawayo, while the remaining 5% come from other cities within the country.
Of the 117 exhibitors registered so far, four are foreign exhibitors from China and South Africa.
The show will be officially opened by Chidakwa tomorrow, where he is expected to launch a $5 million facility for small-scale miners.
COMMENTS
And exactly where will that US$5 million come from… fairy dust..?
Oh, by-the-way, exhibitors have to fork over considerable cash to be included, and you’ll never see an accounting of thos funds. Likely, those who will not engage in such charades get blacklisted.