Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe has a number of sectors that still need development to enable it to attain its vision of becoming an upper middle income society by 2030, an official has said.
Chief Director in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Angela Makombe said this at the launch of the 2024 competitiveness report in Harare on Wednesday. She said Zimbabwe remains below average in competitiveness compared to the upper-middle-income countries that it aspires to join by 2030.
Makombe described the findings as “a sober and constructive assessment” of the current economic status of the country. “The report challenges us to reimagine Zimbabwe’s growth in this defining year of change. This is a call to action,” she said.
The 2024 Competitiveness Report, compiled through consultations across Government, academia, industry and civil society, provides a detailed review of the industrial performance, infrastructure, innovation, and investment climate in the country.
It identifies major gaps in competitiveness, particularly in the manufacturing sector, and proposes policy measures to close them. Makombe acknowledged that while Zimbabwe had made “phenomenal achievements” in areas like energy sustainability and innovation, the country still faces significant constraints such as infrastructure deficits, regulatory inefficiencies and high business costs that continue to hold back progress.
“In response to these findings, the government is already streamlining the regulatory environment and reviving Inter-Ministerial coordination. Through the Ministry of Finance, around ZiG100 million has been set aside to support strategic industries like iron and steel, pharmaceuticals, and the auto sector through venture capital funding,” she explained.
She also pointed to the Zimbabwe Green Recovery and Industrial Policy 2024–2025 and the Zimbabwe Reconstruction Network Plan as key frameworks guiding industrial recovery.
The programs aim to rebuild Zimbabwe’s industrial base and integrate local industries into regional and global value chains. Makombe emphasised that competitiveness could no longer be measured by growth alone, but by the way the country performs in inclusiveness, sustainability and resilience, the core pillars of modern economic transformation.
“It is no longer sufficient to pursue growth for its own sake. We must build economies that are innovative, inclusive, and resilient,” she said.
She said through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the government is developing a new national trade policy and strategy aligned with key international frameworks, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Makombe urged all stakeholders, including the government, the private sector, development partners, academia, and communities to work together to unlock the country’s full economic potential.
“Competitiveness can only be reached through collective ambition and tangible reforms. This is not a job for the government alone. These reports are not just government documents, they are mirrors showing us where we are, and more importantly, who we can become,” she said.
She affirmed government commitment to ensuring that recommendations from the report are implemented with real policy and financial backing.
New Ziana
