Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane will bring government, business, labour and investors together in KuGompo City on Tuesday to identify obstacles holding back investment and job creation in the province.
The Provincial Economic Stakeholder Engagement will also include representatives from academia and civil society and is intended to develop practical measures to stimulate economic activity and turn development commitments into investment and employment opportunities.
The provincial government is expected to use the meeting to provide an update on the implementation of its Provincial Economic Development Strategy and progress made in different sectors.
It will also examine challenges affecting communities and hampering economic development, major projects and inclusive growth.
The engagement comes as the province continues to grapple with the challenge of generating sufficient economic growth and employment.
Mabuyane said recent employment figures showed that while the Eastern Cape had made progress in creating jobs, economic growth needed to accelerate substantially.
“The latest employment figures remind us that while the province has made progress in job creation, we must significantly accelerate the pace of economic growth if we are to absorb more people into the economy.
“We need to turn our economic assets, investment opportunities and export potential into productive activity, stronger businesses and sustainable jobs,” Mabuyane said.
Discussions at Tuesday’s gathering are expected to focus on practical solutions rather than simply diagnosing the province’s longstanding economic problems.
Mabuyane said the government wanted to make the Eastern Cape economy more competitive and attractive to investors while strengthening its links with regional and international markets.
“Our focus is to build an economy that is more competitive, investment-ready and connected to regional and international markets.
“We want to see stronger partnerships between government and the private sector, increased investment in productive sectors, greater participation by Eastern Cape businesses in global value chains and, ultimately, more employment opportunities for our people,” he said.
The engagement will also serve as a precursor to the seventh Eastern Cape Export Symposium and Exhibition, which runs from Wednesday to Friday at the East London International Convention Centre.
The symposium is aimed at attracting investment, expanding exports and creating sustainable employment in the province.
Tuesday’s economic engagement will be held at the East London Golf Course in KuGompo City from 1pm.
Daily Dispatch
