AfriConfex To Explore Climate resilience, Smart Technologies

By Shingirai Vambe

Bulawayo-This year`s edition of the Built Environment Conference and Expo (AfriConfex) will push the conversation beyond infrastructure delivery to explore how climate resilience, smart technologies, and inclusive urban design can power Zimbabwe’s next development frontier, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair(ZITF) company said.

The company`s board chairman, Busisa Moyo said this while addressing a press conference in Bulawayo recently.

This year’s edition of AfriConfex will for the first time run concurrently with Mine Entra from October 8-10 at the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City (ZICES).

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona will be the guest speaker.

This year`s event will run under the theme, “Smart Moves: Powering Zimbabwe’s Infrastructure Evolution”.

The theme reflects the urgency to act smartly and collaboratively as the country pursues Vision 2030, which seeks to position the country as a prosperous, upper-middle-income economy.

AfriConfex will bring together stakeholders from across the built environment value chain including architects, engineers, urban planners, policymakers, investors, and development partners.

“We are promising a bold and future-focused agenda aimed at transforming Zimbabwe’s infrastructure landscape through innovation, sustainability, and collaboration.

“This year’s edition will push the conversation beyond infrastructure delivery to explore how climate resilience, smart technologies, and inclusive urban design can power Zimbabwe’s next development frontier,” said Moyo.

The chairman also said this year`s edition will be more than an exhibition but a national imperative which comes at a time the country must invest in smart, scalable and people centred infrastructure solutions.

“It comes at a time when Zimbabwe must invest in smart, scalable and people-centred infrastructure solutions that can withstand the shocks of climate change while unlocking economic potential.

“The conference will tackle pressing topics including smart city development, innovative construction technologies, sustainable transport systems, and inclusive urban planning — themes directly aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and Africa’s Agenda 2063,”he said.

Moyo said Infrastructure provides the foundational skeleton for economic development, demanding that our present-day constructions are built to serve not only contemporary needs but also the prosperity of future generations, an official said.

“Infrastructure is the skeleton of economic development, and what we build today must serve not just today’s needs, but tomorrow’s generations.

“AfriConfex offers a unique platform for collaboration where public and private sector players, innovators and financiers can co-create solutions that work for Zimbabwe and Africa,” he said.

Moyo indicated that the event has attracted strong domestic and regional interest, with participation confirmed from a wide array of sectors, including local authorities, construction companies, engineering associations, development finance institutions, and academia.

“The co-location of AfriConfex with Mine Entra, this year was a strategic decision meant to encourage cross-sectoral synergies, given the interdependence between mining and infrastructure development.

“Whether it’s roads, energy, housing or logistics, infrastructure underpins the growth of all sectors. AfriConfex brings everyone to the table to discuss how we build faster, better, and more sustainably,” he noted.

AfriConfex was launched as Zimbabwe’s flagship infrastructure and built environment forum, designed to respond to the country’s growing need for coordinated and modernised infrastructure planning.

As urbanisation accelerates and climate-related pressures mount, such platforms are playing an increasingly central role in bringing together technical expertise, investment, and policy to shape sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure systems.