Zimbabwe, South Africa represented at World Economic Forum

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Zimbabwe and South Africa are represented at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, where topical global issues are expected to take centre stage.

From Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa will join 50 other heads of state and government where he is expected to spotlight the country’s re-engagement drive towards sustainable development with a focus on investment.

This year’s theme is “History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies.” The WEF is taking place from 22 to 26 May 2022.

President Mnangagwa is accompanied by Professor Mthuli Ncube, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development; Ambassador Fredrick Shava, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Dr. Sekai Nzenza, the Minister of Industry and Commerce; and Mr. George Charamba, the Deputy Chief Secretary – Presidential Communications.

The Minister of Human Settlements and Head of Cabinet Economic Cluster, Mmamoloko Kubayi, will represent the Government of South Africa at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum – the first global in-person leadership event since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Meeting convenes at the most consequential geopolitical and geo-economic moment of the past three decades and against the backdrop of a once-in-a-century pandemic. Government, Business, and Civil Society leaders are convening to simultaneously advance longstanding economic, environmental, political, and societal priorities, and security challenges, all the while reinforcing the foundations of a stable global system.

Minister Kubayi is attending the meeting, alongside a strong contingent of over 35 South African business representatives, with the primary focus of promoting South Africa as an attractive investment destination. In addition, the meeting also provides an opportunity for the government to share an update on South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery plan, promote the country’s economic reforms, and advance important public-private partnerships to support the country’s development objectives.

Some of the key messages Team SA will focus on at WEF include:

  • unpacking the government’s priorities for supporting higher levels of economic growth through areas such as infrastructure and industrial growth
  • outlining a commitment to higher economic growth through faster implementation of structural reforms through Operation Vulindlela – a programme led by the Presidency and National Treasury to fast-track structural reform implementation in key sectors such as energy and telecommunication.
  • commitment to addressing climate change, the green economy, and transitioning to lower carbon emissions.
  • commitment to deepening economic cooperation within the continent and globally and simulating trade, and
  • implementing reforms that will support the Ease of Doing Business, such as reducing data costs and one-stop shops for setting up businesses.