Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will officially launch the National Development Strategy 2, the country’s second five-year economic blueprint, next week, following its approval by Cabinet yesterday.
The plan, which will run from 2026 to 2030, is expected to consolidate the gains made under NDS1 and accelerate Zimbabwe’s journey towards Vision 2030.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said the new strategy would guide national development priorities over the next five years.
“Cabinet approved the National Development Strategy 2: 2026-2030 which is intended to guide the national development trajectory of Zimbabwe towards the attainment of Vision 2030.
“Zimbabwe’s second five-year development plan seeks to consolidate the achievements recorded under NDS1 and accelerate the transformational process for attaining Vision 2030 of a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society,” he said.
In its design, NDS2 identifies 10 broad national priorities that will drive development across all sectors.
These priorities include measures to deepen macro-economic stability, accelerate economic growth, strengthen infrastructure development and housing delivery, and enhance resilience in food security, climate and the environment.
The strategy also places strong emphasis on science and technology, digital innovation and the development of human capital.
Issues of job creation, youth empowerment, sport and culture are integrated into the plan, alongside renewed focus on devolution, social protection, gender equality, the country’s international image and governance reforms.
“The priority areas are premised on the whole-of-Government and society approach and shall be coordinated through Thematic Working Groups encompassing ministries, departments, agencies, local authorities and the private sector,” said Dr Muswere.
Under NDS1, the Government registered substantial progress across 14 thematic areas.
Dr Muswere said the country had recorded strong average GDP growth from 2021, managed to contain annual inflation and demonstrated resilience in the face of global shocks, including Covid-19, tightened international financial conditions, geopolitical tensions and climate-related disasters.
The economy is expected to grow by 6,6 percent in 2025, up from 1,7 percent in 2024, spurred by a rebound in agriculture, robust mining performance and renewed investment in manufacturing.
Part of this progress has been anchored on stabilisation measures implemented during NDS1.
“The introduction of the ZiG operating alongside other multi-currencies stabilised the exchange rate and restored confidence in the local unit.
“Foreign reserves rose from about US$276 million in April 2024 to over US$900 million by October 2025, prompting the World Bank to rank Zimbabwe first among the top 10 countries in the world that made significant progress in foreign currency reserves accumulation,” he said.
Dr Muswere also highlighted major infrastructure developments that were completed using domestic resources, including the Trabablas Interchange, the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansion, the Hwange Units 7 & 8 power project, which added 700MW to the national grid, and extensive road works through ERRP I and II.
He said manufacturing capacity utilisation also improved, while agriculture productivity surged, achieving national self-sufficiency in wheat and maize, with wheat output surpassing 600 000 tonnes in 2025 and tobacco deliveries reaching a record 355 million kilogrammes.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the new blueprint would maintain the structured approach used under NDS1, but with enhanced monitoring and evaluation.
“It was approved by the Cabinet today, so it is as good as being here, but the ceremony next week will officially launch it, with the President presiding over the dissemination,” he said.
Prof Ncube said the NDS2 rests on clearly defined outcomes and sub-strategies for each of the 10 pillars.
“For each pillar, we have the outcomes clearly spelt out in terms of what we expect, and the sub-strategies that we will implement to attain those objectives.”
There is a very robust results measurement framework, just like in NDS1, and we will track progress on a quarterly, half-year and annual basis,” he said.
Prof Ncube added that the Government would intensify the whole-of-Government approach in implementing the programme.
“We recognise that ministries intersect in different ways, therefore an all-of-Government approach is being taken as the working modality in implementing NDS2,” he said.
Government is expected to release full details of NDS2 at the official launch in Harare next week.
Prof Ncube acknowledged ongoing challenges related to external debt, which continues to restrict access to concessional funding, but said the improved macro-economic environment positions Zimbabwe to strengthen public-private partnerships and attract investment.
Peter Tanyanyiwa