The inaugural Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Confex (AfriConfex) is set to be the country’s mega construction and infrastructure event and will be the biggest gathering of buyers and sellers for the entire built environment value chain. Running under the theme, “Solid Foundation. Stronger Future – Exploring Linkages in the Infrastructure Value Chain,” the event aims to profile and give a voice to the infrastructure and construction sectors in Zimbabwe and across Africa. Organised by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company (ZITF), AfriConfex comes at an opportune time given the Zimbabwean government’s strategy for infrastructure development under the National Development Strategy 1, and given the fast-approaching end of The First Ten Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 (2013 – 2023).

The growth of an economy is often gauged by monitoring new infrastructure development which is an indicator of consumer confidence. The industry’s broad and intense linkages with other sectors stimulate economic development, is a major generator of jobs, and constitutes an important component of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is exciting to note that there has been a recent increase in the number of infrastructure development and construction projects being commissioned throughout Zimbabwe and within the region. Leveraging on this upward trajectory, AfriConfex will spotlight the following long-term goals:

(a) Attainment of a high standard of living, quality of life and well-being for all,
(b) Building world-class infrastructure that crisscrosses Africa by improving connectivity through newer and bolder initiatives to link the continent by rail, road, sea and air, and developing regional and continental power pools, and,
(c) Transformation of Africa’s economies through beneficiation from Africa’s natural resources manufacturing, industrialization and value addition.

Source: African Union