Zimbabwe Champions a New Era for African Public Procurement at Victoria Falls Summit

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe – Wednesday, 12 November 2025 – African leaders and procurement experts convened today for the Fifth General Assembly of the African Public Procurement Network (APPN), with a resolute call to transform how governments spend public funds to drive the continent’s development.

Under the theme, “Transforming Public Procurement in Africa through Innovation, Inclusion, Sustainability, and Regional Collaboration,” the high-level opening ceremony saw Zimbabwe’s leadership position the country at the forefront of this continental reform agenda.

In his keynote address, the Vice President of Zimbabwe, Hon. Gen. (Retd) Dr. C. G. D. N. Chiwenga, underscored the critical role of political will in shaping a transparent and effective procurement landscape. “Political will is the undeniable driving force that transforms progressive policies into impactful action,” he stated, revealing that public procurement accounts for approximately 17% of Zimbabwe’s GDP, mirroring a continental average.

He highlighted the establishment of the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) as a testament to the government’s commitment, emphasizing that the professionalization of the sector and the adoption of digital technologies are no longer optional but essential to combat corruption and inefficiency.

Echoing the Vice President’s sentiments, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion, Hon. K.D. Mnangagwa, provided a tangible example of this commitment. Representing the treasury, he announced Zimbabwe’s strategic investment in an electronic Government Procurement (eGP) system, a move he described as a “fundamental re-engineering of our procurement landscape.”

“We did not just theorize about innovation; we funded it,” Deputy Minister Mnangagwa declared. “This system is our practical answer to drive transparency, enhance efficiency, and foster inclusion. A small-to-medium enterprise in Binga can now compete for a national tender on an equal footing with a firm in Harare.”

He further pointed to the launch of the Southern Africa Public Procurement Training Academy (SAPPTA) as evidence of Zimbabwe’s dual focus on building both robust systems and the skilled workforce to manage them.

Welcoming the distinguished delegates to the province, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland North, Hon. Richard Moyo, linked the assembly’s theme directly to local economic opportunities. He urged delegates to see beyond the “mist” of the falls and recognize the province’s potential in tourism, renewable energy, and logistics.

“Just as the mighty Zambezi River carves its way through ancient rock with relentless power and purpose, so must our collective will to reform public procurement carve a new path for Africa’s development,” Minister Moyo said. He outlined key investment areas—from solar energy plants to agro-processing—that depend on robust and transparent procurement systems to succeed.

The speakers collectively framed public procurement not as a mere administrative function, but as a strategic tool for achieving the goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). They called for the dismantling of trade barriers and the creation of a seamless environment for cross-border procurement to foster mutual growth.

As the thunder of Mosi-oa-Tunya provided a powerful metaphor for the transformative change sought, the assembly was charged with a clear mission: to build resilient, transparent, and future-ready procurement systems that will serve as a bridge to a more prosperous and equitable future for all Africans.

The Fifth APPN General Assembly continues until November 14th, featuring technical sessions and the election of a new network president.