Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa in KADOMA
GOVERNMENT, working with stakeholders in industry, civic society and other sectors, is on course to formulate strategies under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) towards meeting Vision 2030 goals of an empowered upper-middle income society.
NDS2 is primed to consolidate the successes registered under the NDS1 formulation of strategies, addressing the 10 key priority areas approved by Cabinet recently.
The last three thematic working groups covering the 10 priority areas are meeting in Kadoma before the reports are consolidated into a single document that will be presented to Cabinet.
Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr Willard Manungo yesterday said the consultative process would end today, while a parallel review of NDS1 by a private consultant was underway.
“Each of the 10 thematic working groups will give what they expect to be implemented in NDS2 and going forward, we will be reviewing all the recommendations,” said Mr Manungo.
“Between September and October, we will be consolidating all the reports from the thematic committees and Cabinet will review the outcomes before handing it to the President for his assent.”
The thematic working groups include image building, international relations and trade, infrastructure development and housing, and job creation, youth development, creativity industry and culture.
Co-chair of the Image Building, International Relations and Trade committee Mr Nick Mangwana, who is also Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary, said NDS2 should galvanise the country towards reclaiming its real image internally and internationally.
Mr Mangwana said Zimbabwe’s Shona sculpture adorning the streets of Atlanta, United States and the recent success in sport was part of the image-building dividend by the second Republic.
“As we get to 2030, we want the country’s image to be at a higher level. We are going to have yearly measurable targets of how the country’s standing internationally is going to perform,” he said.
“Going to 2030, the country will be unstoppable. Our thematic working group on Image Building’s role is to give the picture of Zimbabwe. We will deal with negative perceptions that are a direct opposite of reality.”
Permanent secretaries, including engineers Joy Makumbe for Transport and Infrastructural Development; Gloria Magombo for Energy and Power Development and Kudzanayi Chinyanga for National Housing and Social Amenities, are attending the consultative workshop.
Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training permanent secretary Mr Solomon Mhlanga said NDS2 would seek to strengthen cooperation between industry and Government to improve the operations of vocational training centres.
