The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa today officially opened the 25th edition of the Mining, Engineering and Transport expo (Mine Entra) at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre.
The Mine Entra, which began yesterday (Wednesday) and ends tomorrow (Friday) returns after a two-year absence owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The exhibition is running under the theme, “Explore, Extract, Expand: Towards Sustainable Mining Value Chains.”
In his keynote address officially opening the ongoing 25th edition of the Mine Entra exhibition, President Mnangagwa said:
“It is commendable that you have once again managed to convene, after an absence of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As Government, we value such events for being a source of insights into progress being made by your respective sectors as well as guide our policy formulation and implementation.”
He said his expectation was that the delegates will emerge from the Mine Entra conference motivated and focused to do much more for the sustainable economic transformation and prosperity of the great country.
President Mnangagwa also welcomed exhibitors from within the region and abroad, who are showcasing at the premier event.
“Your participation attests to the confidence that investors have in the business environment prevailing in our country, under the Second Republic. I commend the organisers of this Conference for facilitating several focused dialogue sessions and innovative platforms that cater for specific segments within the mining industry, as part of this event.”
He said these must be fully utilised by Government, the private sector and small to medium scale miners, including women and the youth, among other stakeholders, to evaluate the progress made in the sector.
Further, President Mnangagwa said outcomes of the discussions should provide a robust, responsive and time framed way forward for collective momentum, going into the future.
“The theme of this Conference “Explore, Extract, Expand–Towards Sustainable Mining Value Chains” resonates with my Government’s policy targeting the upward growth of the mining sector to realise a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023.
“It is indeed encouraging that as of last year, and despite the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mining sector performance amounted to US$5.2 billion from US$2.9 billion in 2017. Well done to the sector stakeholders for a commendable performance.”
The President said since the advent of the Second Republic, he has had the privilege to commission various signature mining projects in the areas of exploration, extraction and expansion.
He said some of these include the expansion of Zimplats and Unki Mines; the re-opening of Eureka Gold Mine; Shamva Gold Mine; Rio-Zim Cam and Motor Biox Gold Plant Expansion Project; Radnor Mine; and most recently, the Sinomine Bikita Minerals Lithium project, among others.
“Many more will be coming on stream between the next 12 to 24 months. To date, concrete initiatives are in place to legislate and issue the related incentives to further grow the industry.
“Equally, my Administration remains emphatic in calls for the development of capabilities that propel value addition and beneficiation, riding on ICT driven processes,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The US$12 billion target is, therefore, within reach and set to see the realisation of a diversified, integrated, modern and industrialised economy synonymous with a prosperous society.”
He challenged captains of the mining industry to take advantage of the conference by leveraging on the new partnerships and synergies to propel the transformation of Zimbabwe’s economy.
The President said Government will continue to implement and create a conducive doing business environment to attract both local and global capital as well as grow already established entities.
“I, therefore, invite more investors to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in areas of exploration, mineral extraction, mineral processing, value addition and beneficiation.
“Plans are in place for the accelerated value addition and beneficiation of minerals such as gold, the platinum group of metals, diamonds, chrome and ferrochrome, steel, lithium, nickel, granite, coal and hydro-carbons, among others,” said President Mnangagwa.
“More so that value addition and beneficiation are the important yardsticks to benchmark the sector’s production levels, productivity and profitability. The associated down and up-stream productive and supply chain linkages must be given due attention to enable the country to generate more jobs and empowerment opportunities, especially for the youth as well as foreign currency through the export of high value finished goods.”
Going forward, the President said the sector should rally its players to adopt contemporary and appropriate mining technologies across the mineral value chain.
Prior to the Mine Entra conference and official opening ceremony, the President conducted a tour of the exhibition stands where he expressed excitement over the quality of the exhibits being showcased by the more than 160 local and foreign exhibitors.
“I also commend the exhibitors for the broad array of insightful and quality displays which I saw during my tour of the various stands,” said President Mnangagwa.
