Zim-Asset lifeline Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda
  • UN to avail $1,6bn for economic blueprint
  • Zim UN framework agreement signed
Misheck Sibanda

Misheck Sibanda

Farirai Machivenyika Harare Bureau
THE United Nations will mobilise up to $1,6 billion between 2016 and 2020 to support development programmes as guided by the Zim-Asset economic blueprint, an agreement signed yesterday between the world body and the government revealed.

The agreement, dubbed the Zimbabwe United Nations Development Framework, was signed by the Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda and the UN Resident Co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli.

“We must highlight the very generous engagement of the development co-operation community in Zimbabwe, where the 2012-2015 ZUNDAF saw an average delivery of approximately $400 million annually to support the achievement of the development results,” said Parajuli.

“As such, from 2012 to the end of 2015, the UN will have delivered approximately $1,6 billion on programme results. This is an important contribution on the part of development partners, which we must aim to sustain and enhance for the 2016-2020 ZUNDAF, which is also budgeted at $1,6 billion.”

Parajuli said the ZUNDAF would support various areas as contained in Zim-Asset.

“ZUNDAF results groups are aligned to the Zim-Asset architecture, rallying behind nationally led systems and structures to support national ownership and reduce transaction costs,” he said.

“In fact, this is a guiding principle behind ZUNDAF implementation. Therefore, establishment and efficiency of well-functioning development co-ordination architecture, anchored on Zim-Asset is fundamental to the achievement of meaningful results. It is therefore important to have well run and effective Zim-Asset clusters.”

Parajuli said ZUNDAF would support six national priority areas that include; food security and nutrition, gender and equality, HIV and Aids, poverty reduction and value addition, public administration and governance and social services and protection.

In his address, Sibanda welcomed the UN’s shift from focusing on humanitarian assistance to developmental issues.

“I’m particularly pleased to observe that the crafting of the 2016-2020 ZUNDAF has been underpinned by the Zim-Asset blueprint, entailing the alignment of the programming processes to Zim-Asset priorities,” he said.

“Without doubt, this will add value to government’s developmental efforts by shifting the focus of the UN system from humanitarian to developmental support.

“It’s against this background that I’m confident that the new ZUNDAF cycle will further buttress the accelerated implementation of Zim-Asset through the provision of technical and financial assistance to the various projects and programmes.”

Sibanda said the government was committed to policy consistency and coherence.

“Our commitment is to also sustain the gains made on the MDGs through policy consistency and coherence,” he said.

The government is committed to buttressing these achievements by implementing a robust reform and modernisation programme of our institutions of governance.

“Quality service delivery underpinned by the Results Based Management system incorporating e-government will constitute the hallmark of a citizen responsive government.”

Sibanda called for continuous dialogue between Zimbabwe, the UN and other development partners as the government moves ahead with implementation of its development agenda.

The implementation of the ZUNDAF will be done in conjunction with 25 UN agencies.

 

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