adminTHE United Nations in Zimbabwe has set aside $1,6 billion under the Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) to help the country achieve some of the goals outlined in the country’s economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), an official has said.
Communications Specialist in the UN Zimbabwe Resident Co-ordinator’s Office, Mr Sirak Gebrehiwot said as the world was set to review the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and embark on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), his organisation together with the Government were finalising the framework to guide the country to achieve set goals.
The next ZUNDAF covers a five-year period (2016-2020) and will be signed at the end of the month. The ZUNDAF is developed in partnership with the Government and with the collaboration of national and international development partners.
“Building on the success of and lessons from the current ZUNDAF, the Government, the UN and Development Partners have developed a 2016-2020 ZUNDAF with a projected budget of $1,6 billion to complement Zim Asset in contributing towards addressing food and nutrition security; poverty and value addition; HIV and Aids, gender equality and women’s empowerment; social services and protection; and public administration and governance,” said Mr Gebrehiwot.
“Zimbabwe has already started integrating the MDGs into the SDGs through the 2013-2018 Zim Asset and should continue to do so beyond 2018 through successive national development plans. The Zim Asset, for instance, articulates issues raised in the SDGs in its four clusters and sub clusters.
“In support of these national and international goals, the UN in Zimbabwe is finalising its ZUNDAF for 2016-2020 to support Zimbabwe’s move to embark on the Sustainable Development Goals by building on the gains of the MDGs and by integrating some of the unfinished business of the MDGs.
“The achievement of the MDGs cannot also be left to the Government alone. They require the engagement of all sections of society including the media and development partners who have committed to contribute 0,7 percent of their GDP under the MDGs. As a result of these concerted efforts, despite the decade-long of economic, social and political challenges, Zimbabwe has made good progress in some social and human development areas.”
He noted that Zimbabwe together with Zambia had represented the Southern Africa region in the African Union and at the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals in all discussions and negotiations.
Mr Gebrehiwot said funding was being reviewed after the country made great strides in achieving the MDGs through the current 2012-2015 ZUNDAF where $400 million was being rolled out annually during the period.
He said the United Nations, with support from Development Partners, had been delivering about $400 million annually contributing to the reduction of maternal mortality by one third, doubling immunisation to 69 percent, reducing HIV transmission from mother to child by more than half to under 9 percent, and maintaining of primary school enrolment at 97,6 percent.
Turning to the UN in Zimbabwe participation at the just ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Mr Gebrehiwot said it gave them a perfect opportunity to engage communities on development issues. He noted that they had very interesting interaction with many people, particularly on the new emerging global goals, the SDGs.
The SDGs are a proposed set of targets relating to future international development. They are to replace the MDGs once they expire at the end of 2015. Some of the SDGs include to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
In his foreword to the Zim Asset document, President Mugabe said the blueprint was crafted to achieve sustainable development and social equity anchored on indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation which will be largely propelled by the judicious exploitation of the country’s abundant human and natural resources.
Online Reporter