Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike-Senior Reporter
THE success of Zimbabwe’s ongoing African Peer Review Mechanism on economic governance and management will depend on the active participation and honest contributions of all stakeholders, APRM National Governing Council chairperson Ambassador James Manzou has said.
He made the remarks in Harare last Friday while addressing representatives of international development partners — including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) — during a focus group discussion held as part of the review process.
Amb Manzou said the nationwide exercise, which enters its outreach phase today, will cover all 10 provinces and seeks to generate practical, evidence-based insights that strengthen economic management and institutional governance.
“The ongoing targeted review focuses on economic governance and management, as I have said, a thematic area that Zimbabwe has rightly identified as a national priority,” he said.
“This provides an opportunity for introspection on how economic policies, institutions and fiscal management systems can better promote inclusive growth, equality and resilience. The success of this targeted review process depends on the participation and contribution of all stakeholders.” He said the review team has so far met with Government officials, parastatal heads, private sector leaders, and representatives of civil society, women and youth groups, whose diverse perspectives are vital to the process.
“I, therefore, urge all participants to engage with openness, integrity and objectivity, bringing to the discussions both critical insights and constructive recommendations and ideas. Let us embrace this as a national learning exercise, grounded in evidence and guided by our Constitution.”
Amb Manzou said President Mnangagwa’s decision for Zimbabwe to accede to the APRM demonstrates his commitment to transparency, inclusivity and institutional strengthening as the foundation for sustainable development.
He described the APRM as one of Africa’s most innovative governance instruments, rooted in African solidarity, self-assessment and accountability.
“It was established in 2003 as part of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development to promote high standards of governance across the continent,” he said. “These deliberations form the backbone of the review process, allowing comprehensive dialogue, evidence-based analysis and constructive recommendations that will shape Zimbabwe’s governance and development trajectory.” Ambassador Aly El Hefny, the Lead Panel Member for Zimbabwe from the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons, commended Zimbabwe for its progress in enhancing macroeconomic stability, improving fiscal discipline and creating a more enabling environment for investment.
