As we continue to recognise the importance and crucial role played by the war veterans in the bitter struggle for freedom, Government has now established a full Cabinet ministry to oversee and manage the provision of their welfare, including that of former political detainees and restrictees.
As you are aware, only 11 days ago I had the pleasure of meeting about 10 000 of them to hear and discuss their concerns and assure them of Government welfare assistance to alleviate their social situation.
Ladies and Gentleman, Comrades and Friends,
While our economy has been showing signs of growth and recovery, the country has been sadly hit by the El Nino climatic phenomenon which has unleashed on us one of the worst droughts in living memory. As a result, we expect poor harvest of food crops.
But Government has taken precautions to prevent starvation amongst our people through effective grain import arrangements. At the same time, Government is also accelerating its implementation of Zim-Asset, the Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, with the objective of achieving growth, sustainable development and social equality over the medium term. Government has evolved a 10-Point Plan as its implementation mechanism.
The 10 points will include a rapid results framework, revitalisation of agriculture and mining and value addition and beneficiation, financial inclusion and infrastructure development, as well as tourism promotion. There will be an exercise of debt clearance as we re-engage with the international community.
Fellow Zimbabweans, in order to sustain the success of our Land Reform Programme, Government is working with our financial institutions so as to conclude the bankability of the 99-year leases. Such a development will guarantee our farmers security of tenure, for both A1 and A2 farmers.
Our re-organisation of the mining sector, which includes the consolidated State ownership of the diamond mines, and the strategic management of gold mining and gold product, has started showing improved results with gold output now 20.2 tonnes, rising expectedly to 25.5 tonnes by the year end.
With respect to the manufacturing sector, I am glad to inform you that there has been a very commendable resuscitation of companies that had closed or were on the brink of closure. In addition, there has been the formation of completely new companies within the economy during the past few years.
The resuscitated companies include Lobels Bread, Cairns Holdings, Rio Zim, Blue Ribbon Foods, Delta Corporation, Arenel, Olivine Industries, Border Timbers, Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO) and CAPS Pharmaceuticals, among others. New entrants and those that have expanded their operations in the domestic economy include: Pure Oil, Surface Investments, Grafax Holdings, Feed Mix, Novatex, Profeeds, Divipel, Nibble, Ninjanux, Kefalos, just to mention a few.
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