VICE-PRESIDENT Constatino Chiwenga has said building collaborative networks is key for the full realisation of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) industrialisation agenda.
Chiwenga made the remarks yesterday during the official opening of the Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) inaugural regional construction summit in Victoria Falls.
The summit is running under the theme Leveraging Investment in Infrastructure as a Catalyst for Economic Growth.
“The construction industry stands as one of the key underpinning enablers for the full realisation of the Sadc industrialisation agenda, which will transform the region into a vibrant and sustainable industrial hub,” Chiwenga said.
“It is with no doubt that the construction industry plays a critical role in the realisation of the Sadc construction, infrastructure and economic development aspirations.”
He emphasised the need for a strategic roadmap outlining the future of a sustainable construction industry in southern Africa.
“Unification is a valuable panacea to unlocking our collective potential and it reinforces the empowerment of our Sadc community,” he said.
“Indeed, an integrated construction industry will enable us to address the infrastructural deficit that was deliberately left upon us by our former colonisers and it remains one of the major hindrances to the region’s economic growth.”
Chiwenga said there was an urgent need to adopt clean energy to protect the environment.
“The adoption of clean energy will significantly reduce our carbon footprint on the environment while powering our construction sites, infrastructure, homes, industries and our transportation systems,” he said.
Sadc has enacted several strategic plans for energy development in the region that include the Regional Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan 2020, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan 2016 to 2030 as well as the Sadc Industrial Energy Efficiency Programme.
