Mines Ministry Targets USD 15 Billion Exports

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has set its sights on delivering USD 13 to 15 billion in mineral exports, with Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Wushe declaring 2027 a year of “rededication” as the sector returns to its core mandates.

Addressing the 2027 Strategic Planning Workshop in Kadoma, Dr Wushe reminded delegates of the sector’s outsized role in the economy, contributing 14.5 percent of GDP and over 76 percent of export earnings.

“Let us be clear about the weight we carry. Mining is the key to our national economy. It contributes 14.5% to our GDP and over 76% of our export earnings. This is not just a statistic; it is a responsibility.

“When this Ministry performs, the nation prospers. When we falter, the effects ripple across every sector, every community and every household in Zimbabwe,” said Dr Wushe.

He said the ministry’s mandate to deliver USD 13-15 billion in mineral exports must be achieved despite significant resource limitations.

Dr Wushe said the reality demands sharper focus on resource mobilisation through domestic and international partnerships, stronger collaboration with State Enterprises and unlocking private sector investment.

“As we look to 2027, our direction is clear, we are going back to our core mandates that we abandoned. We are returning to the fundamentals to ensure we deliver on our promises,” Dr Wushe said, noting that the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan runs for five years, with 2027 serving as a review year and a “year of rededication.”

The workshop is anchored on four outcomes, improved governance and administration, moving the cadastre system from 88.5% to full operationalisation, enhanced mining sector growth, improved environmental protection through stronger collaboration with EMA and an enhanced investment climate through accelerated bilateral agreements, PPPs and research.

On growth, Dr Wushe challenged the ministry to make beneficiation and value addition “operationally real, not just policy rhetoric,” describing the principle as non-negotiable and urging the workshop to translate it into “enforceable, time-bound actions.”

He also called for the formalisation of small-scale mining, turning it “from a livelihood safety net into a formal growth engine.”

“The question for this workshop is: ‘What will 2027 contribute in the direction we are headed as the mining industry?’ Actions we take for this coming year will determine what we have learnt in previous years. We must continue laying brick upon brick: ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,'” he said.

Dr Wushe directed that each department produce “a concrete, resourced and owned start-up plan to kick-start 2027,” with clear monitoring frameworks guiding the ministry “towards resolutions to results.”

Reflecting the President’s challenge that every tonne extracted must translate into jobs, industries and transformed communities, Dr Wushe closed with a call for collective effort.

“I am confident that with our collective energy, our honesty and our commitment to service delivery, we can make this week a success. The honest truth is: let us push our resolutions to produce results.

The most important outcome of the workshop is not a document but a set of enforceable commitments. Let us get to work. Let us deliver,” he said.