Government to Host Inaugural MSMEs and Cooperatives Indaba in Harare

By Percy Nhara | Southerton Business Times

HARARE – The Government will this week host the inaugural National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Cooperatives Indaba in Harare as it seeks to strengthen the sector's contribution to economic growth, job creation and the achievement of Vision 2030.

The two-day event, scheduled for 16 to 17 July at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), will bring together policymakers, business leaders, development partners, financial institutions, investors and entrepreneurs to discuss strategies for expanding Zimbabwe's MSME and cooperative sectors. The MSME sector is one of Zimbabwe's largest economic contributors, accounting for more than 60 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and providing employment to over 70 percent of the country's workforce, according to government estimates.

Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, said the inaugural Indaba represents a significant milestone in creating a stronger and more inclusive enterprise ecosystem.

"Held under the theme, 'Towards Vision 2030: Building an Enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives Ecosystem,' the Indaba marks a significant milestone in Zimbabwe's journey towards Vision 2030," she said.

"It has been conceived as a high-level strategic platform to strengthen the contribution of MSMEs and cooperatives through enhanced policy dialogue, stakeholder collaboration and investment promotion."

She said the forum would facilitate engagement between government, the private sector and development partners on policies aimed at improving the operating environment for small businesses and cooperatives.

Senator Mutsvangwa said MSMEs and cooperatives remain central to Zimbabwe's economic transformation by creating employment, promoting value addition and supporting poverty reduction, particularly among women, young people and rural communities. She added that strengthening the sector would be key to achieving the objectives outlined in the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030.

A major highlight of the Indaba will be the launch of the Revised National Cooperative Development Societies Policy, which seeks to modernise the governance, regulation and sustainable development of Zimbabwe's cooperative movement.

"The overarching objective of the Indaba is to strengthen the contribution of MSMEs and cooperatives to inclusive economic transformation through improved policy coherence, stronger stakeholder coordination and strategic partnerships aligned with the National Development Strategy 2," Senator Mutsvangwa said.

She said the revised policy provides an updated framework to guide the growth, governance and regulation of cooperatives while enhancing their contribution to national development.

Government has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at supporting MSMEs, including the development of safe trading and production workspaces, improving access to affordable finance through institutions such as the Women's Microfinance Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO), as well as entrepreneurship training and business formalisation programmes. The inaugural National MSMEs and Cooperatives Indaba is expected to showcase investment opportunities, innovative enterprises and policy reforms designed to unlock the full potential of Zimbabwe's small business sector.

Zimbabwe MSMEs Indaba