|
SAIIA Invitation:
Closed Zimbabwe-South Africa Business Roundtable - Johannesburg, 7 April 2011
The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) would like to invite you to a closed roundtable event from 08H30 to 13H00 on Thursday, 7 April 2011 at the Winston Hotel, Tottenham Avenue, Rosebank to discuss the impact of the ongoing political stalemate on South African businesses operating in Zimbabwe. This meeting will be based on the observations of business and aims to open up a new avenue for engaging the South African and Zimbabwean governments on the challenges posed to all concerned stakeholders by the continued impasse.
The purpose of the workshop is to:
• explore the extent to which South Africa remains a major stakeholder in the Zimbabwean economy;
• assess the cost of maintaining a foothold in Zimbabwe;
• assess the difficulties that South African companies are experiencing in Zimbabwe;
• assess the impact of the Zimbabwean political crisis on the companies’ regional and local operations; and lastly,
• explore how the South African government could assist and engage with South African companies operating in Zimbabwe.
The workshop will consist of two panels looking at various aspects of the Zimbabwean political and economic landscape, to be followed by an open discussion and brainstorming with representatives from business and the policy environment.
Please RSVP to Ms. Salvation Andrease (salvation.andrease@saiia.org.za – tel: 012 430 2670) by Friday 1 April 2011. If you are unavailable to attend this event then we would appreciate if you could nominate a representative from your company.
Programme:
Zimbabwe Roundtable
Date: Thursday, 07 April 2011
Venue: Winston Hotel, Rosebank
08:00 – 08:30 Registration
Moderator: Daniel Makokera
Rapporteur: Memory Dube
08:30 - 08:45 Welcome and introductions
Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, SAIIA
08:45 – 10:00 Update on Situation in Zimbabwe
Karin Alexander, IDASA
Dr Lovemore Madhuku, National Constitutional Assembly
David Govere, Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe
Q&A
10:00-10:30 Tea Break
10:30 – 12:00 Challenges for SA Business
Dianna Games, Africa @ Work
Representative of Department of Trade and Industry
Interactive discussion
12.00-13:00 Business and Government Interaction
Recommendations for ongoing interaction between South African business and government on business climate in Zimbabwe, Jerry Vilakazi (BUSA)
13:00 – 14:00 Working lunch with focus on indigenisation policy
Guest speaker: Hon S. Kasukuwere, Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment of Zimbabwe |
