On a sector-by-sector and theme by theme basis, the Zimbabwe Business Focus is envisaged to be a powerful magazine and Zimbabwe’s flagship report which provides granular information on Zimbabwe’s investment opportunities. This magazine will be produced on a quarterly basis, bi-annually and annually basis. In terms of dissemination, various platforms will be used including launches, all media platforms, complimentary in airlines, Zimbabwe embassies and local embassies.

Zimbabwe suffers from drought of a good harvest of well analysed economic data and information. Ironically, raw data is available in various sources such as the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange; Victoria Falls Exchange; ZimStat; Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe; various ministries, department and agencies; World Bank’s Development Indicators; UNDP Human Development Index; International Trade Centre; and IMF financial statistics. On a monthly basis, quarterly, bi-annually and annually basis, the Zimbabwe Business and Economic Intelligence will provide an uninterrupted granular information on economic development in Zimbabwe by breaking existing data into meaningful insights which naked eyes can’t see.

We envisage to establish ourselves as a regional one stop-shop and a dashboard for modelled and forecasted macroeconomic fundamentals which are key to inform both business and public policy, that is:

• Stock price developments;
• Exchange rate dynamics;
• Inflation developments;
• Unemployment;
• Balance of payment;
• National debt and its impact on the economy;
• Commodity prices, that is, local and international;
• Gross domestic product and economic outlook;
• Impact of trade agreements and investment deals on African economies;
• Exogenous shocks and their impact on African economies

estor’s pulse or sentiments towards the Zimbabwe economy. Since most African economies suffer from drought of confidence, we envisage to use various indexes to estimate investor confidence and ultimately the general confidence level of a country. To be specific, the following confidence indexes will be produced periodically:

• Trust in government using the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) model;
• Business confidence index using the OECD model;
• Governance Index using the Mo Ibrahim Foundation model;
• Corruption Perception Index using Transparency International model;
• Investor Perception Index using the Bank of Zambia model;
• Economic Freedom Index using the Heritage Foundation model;
• Fiscal Confidence Index using Peter. G. Peterson Foundation model;

Building on these indexes, on an annual basis, in collaboration with the University of Venda, will produce the African Confidence Index. This will stand out as one of its flagship projects and will host African leaders to deliberate pertinent issues arising from the report.

Our uninterrupted research is expected to build massive knowledge and key insights on various policies. In view of this, using conferences and breakfast meetings, we envisage to host various ministries with a view to dialogue on related policies. In our partnership, we aim to envisage to provide an after sought premier dialogue platform in the country.

This is an economic indaba which will be held on an annual basis normally with the Head of State as Guest of Honour. Our key participants or speakers include heads of multilateral financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF and regional economic communities and top global thinkers. In a fashion that is solution based, such dialogue platform discusses pertinent issues affecting the country such as production challenges, energy security, currency issues and doing business. By its nature, it will be held in resort town such as Victoria Falls.

AEDS is finalizing a memorandum with the University of Venda on programmes such as South Africa Economic Forum, South African National Competitiveness Report, Municipal Customer Perception Index, and Sustainable Development Index.