UN, Government meet to evaluate progress

Tafadzwa Mwale
Correspondent
THE monitoring and evaluation team of the United Nations in Zimbabwe recently met in Mutare to verify and consolidate the results of development and humanitarian assistance rendered to the country in 2024.
The two-day retreat saw technical experts drawn from 15 United Nations (UN) agencies and from some Government ministries reaching a common ground on results achieved along the four pillars of Peace, Planet, People and Prosperity that form the core of the Zimbabwe UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (ZUNSDCF). The UN development systems’ strategic engagement is articulated in the ZUNSDCF (2022-2026) document.
Through this assistance, millions of lives have been positively impacted.
Ms Gertrude Matsika, the Data Management, Results Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist in the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office highlighted the importance of this process, and said: “The UN in Zimbabwe supports the Government of Zimbabwe to deliver on the National Development Assistance (NDS1) priorities and on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), therefore this monitoring and evaluation exercise is critical for assessing progress, generating evidence for achievements, enhancing accountability and transparency of the UN system in Zimbabwe.
“This exercise also enables UN and partners to identify gaps, challenges and document lessons to inform 2025 priorities and future interventions.”
During 2024, UN humanitarian and development assistance covered social sectors, governance and human rights, climate change, food security, peacebuilding, labour and employment among other areas, leaving no one behind.
The United Nations development system in Zimbabwe contributed US$400 million in 2024 towards this assistance.
“This monitoring and evaluation exercise which brings together Government and the UN Country Team is very commendable as we all look at successes and lessons learnt from the collaboration and partnership we have with the UN family. It sets a clear stage for the attaining of Vision 2030 and the SDGs following the National development strategy,” said Mr Anderson Chiraya from the Office of the President and Cabinet in an interview.
One of the main outputs of this exercise is the One UN in Zimbabwe Annual Report which should tell the UN development story in 2024 and indicate the outputs and outcomes, said Mr Ernest Mutanga, Head of the UN Resident Coordinators’ Office during the opening session of the retreat.
Mr Mutanga encouraged the team to work together to portray the country’s results.