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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
The Foreign Affairs and International Trade ministry is bidding for $110,3 billion in the 2023 budget that is expected to be tabled before Parliament in November.
This was said by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ambassador James Manzou when he appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Tuesday.
The ministry’s bid is nearly twice the budget ceiling of the $56,68 it was allocated to work with by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
Ambassador Manzou said the funds allocated were inadequate to fund their projects and programmes in 2023.
“All budget items were underfunded and it is my ministry’s appeal to this Committee to consider our proposal,” he said.
He also told the Committee that Treasury had released $11,985 billion of the $14,877 billion it was allocated for this year by September 30 while US$46,8 million had been disbursed during the same period.
“This has gone long way in reducing arrears which stood at US$22 million as at September 30, 2021 to US$14,2 million as at September 30, 2022,” he said.
Online Reporter