ASSOCIATION PARTNERS EUROPEAN UNION TO BOOST THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Text by Martin Chemhere

Zimbabwe continues to transform itself into a more resilient and greener economy, with players and other stakeholders in the built environment taking huge steps to ensure a smooth and fast journey is experienced in the process.

Helping in that direction is the Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) which, jointly with the European Union’s Africa RISE (Reform for Investment and Sustainable Economies) programme, recently held a workshop in Harare. The workshop focused on finding the best strategies to drive the country towards a circular economy. “A circular economy is an economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way,” –Oxford Languages.

The workshop was attended by diverse experts involved with the circular economy such as government, private sector players, bilateral partners, civil societies and academia. They shared ideas on how to find the best methods for a circular economy.

Brought to the fore at the workshop were issues like the challenges, trends and opportunities in the country that might stand in the way creating a successful circular economy.

The ZBCA, a non-profit national organization with a mandate to represent building contractors in the country, believes that the circular economy will propel the country into a more resilient and greener economy.

The workshop provided the ZBCA with the opportunity to talk to important stakeholders like policymakers in the circular economy matrix.

The ZBCA also anticipated that contractors and related service providers would be equipped with the right knowledge to maximize available resources, especially in the current economic environment.

Outcomes from the workshop were that contractors’ knowledge of the circular economy would be expanded regarding the existence, importance, opportunities and models that benefit the sector’s players.

“The Africa RISE programme is a demand-driven regional technical assistance facility that aims to promote business development and improve the investment climate in Eastern Africa,

Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean. It is a regional technical assistance facility that supports inclusive and sustainable growth, job creation and decent work in the focus regions. The facility promotes macro-economic policy and regulatory reform to create a business environment that encourages investment,” - eu-africarise.com.

Financial assistance for the Africa RISE project is from the European Union with implementing partners Landell Mills alongside Adam Smith Europe, Imani Development, and International Economies Consulting.