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Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
The United Nations has expressed satisfaction over the work they did with the Government and other development partners towards achieving goals set under the 2022-2026 Zimbabwe UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (ZUNSDCF).
This was said by Unicef Country Representative Dr Tajudeen Oyewale on the sidelines of a High-Level review meeting of the cooperation framework yesterday.
“In 2022, the UN had the opportunity to work as individual agencies and in joint programmes and also in different kinds of collaborations towards the support of the agenda in this country,” she said.
“I am pleased that the joint work that we did with everyone and the media, which allowed our work to be seen, is resonating and contributing to the priorities of the Government and NDS 1.
“We had a fruitful year in 2022 and were able to advance in many areas and we look forward to 2023 where we can work together and contribute towards human capital development and contribute to the development of the country.”
Dr Oyewale said in partnership with the Government and other development partners, they had spent over US$540 million on various development programmes.
“Our work is couched in four key pillars; the first is people, where we invest and support strategy and direction of the State in health, education, sanitation and social protection,” she said.
“The second area of our work is on what we call planet; here we invest on bio-diversity, clean energy, water infrastructure and also natural resources management.
“The third area is around economic management which we call prosperity; here we support income generation activities, contribution and investment in value chain improvement and also working with the Ministry of Finance around macro-economic stability in the country, and the last one is on peace,where our key areas are on support for the Independent Commissions and other institutions of the country to ensure that those infrastructure and systems in the country are strong with additional focus on the justice system and we continue to invest on a child friendly justice system.”
In his remarks, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said in order to achieve the country’s Vision 2030, Agenda 2023 and Africa Agenda 2063, the Government was working within the framework of the NDS1, which had been running from 2021, and will lapse in 2025.
“Thereafter, we will begin implementing NDS2, which will run from 2026 to 2030, in alignment with our envisioned attainment of Vision 2030,” he said.
“It is pleasing to note that the UN Country Team has been buttressing these efforts through the Zimbabwe UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework: 2022-2026, which is anchored on NDS1.
“This is a welcome indication that the Government of Zimbabwe and the Country Team have shared goals and priorities and are working together to achieve them, in order to improve the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.”
UN Country Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ambassador Edward Kallon, commended the Government’s response to various shocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, among others.
“In support of national efforts and initiatives, the United Nations through the ZUNSDCF continued to prioritise social protection, climate action and resilience building, provision of quality social services, gender equality, democratic and economic governance,” he said.
Ambassador Kallon also commended the support of the donor community, who supported the first year of implementing the ZUNSDCF with an estimated US$544 million.
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