AID agencies poured in US$1, 5 billion into Zimbabwe as at June 30 2019 in various development projects over a period of five years, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe Bishow Parajuli has said.
The UN has been channeling on average US$400 million per year accounting for 62 percent of the Official Development Assistance to Zimbabwe.
The ZUNDAF contributes UN support in six national result areas: Food and Nutrition Security; Social Services and Protection; Poverty Reduction; HIV and AIDS; Gender Equality; and Good Governance and Public Administration.
Addressing media at a breakfast meeting to highlight the work of the United Nations in Zimbabwe in support of national development priorities, UN Resident Coordinator, Parajuli took stock of development results delivered under 2016-2020 Zimbabwe UN Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF).
“As the UN Resident Coordinator I have provided leadership in the coordination of humanitarian response to recurrent disasters in Zimbabwe, including: severe drought caused by El Nino in 2016/17 affecting over 5 million Zimbabweans; flooding that wrought havoc in southern part of the country displacing and affecting the livelihood of over 20,000 people in 2017; and in containing typhoid and major cholera outbreak including in high-density areas of Harare in 2018,” Parajuli said.
Through the UN-coordinated support, on average over 2.2 million people were consistently supported with food and non-food relief assistance and coordinated response to flood affected communities and successfully contained the disease outbreaks.
“For example, the UN has also provided USD $33 million worth humanitarian assistance to 270,000 people affected by Cyclone Idai. Preparations are underway to embark on recovery efforts with USD 72 million committed by World Bank. The recovery effort package will be implemented by United Nations Agencies,” he said.
“The United Nations has also been assisting people affected by drought and economic challenge through mobilizing USD 225 million in the areas of food assistance, agriculture, water and sanitation, health, nutrition, and protection to 2.2 million people.
“The number of targeted beneficiaries has increased to 3.7 million and the UN is striving to mobilize additional resource of USD 215million to sustain relief assistance until next harvest (April 2020). I have brought in high-ranking UN Officials to visit Zimbabwe, facilitated and led various field visits for all Ambassadors based in Zimbabwe; led UN team European countries to mobilize resources and generate support for national policy reforms. Highlight your recent visit to New York to garner additional support to the prevailing humanitarian response in Zimbabwe.”
In the face of the lingering socio-economic challenges, the Government of Zimbabwe – with UN support – developed a Transitional Stabilization Programme (TSP) (October 2018 – December 2020) to stabilize the economy and pave the way for medium-to-long term growth towards the attainment of the country’s Vision 2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Parajuli highlighted UN’s commitment as well as his personal determination for Zimbabwean people to pursue their development aspiration in peace, justice, fairness and equity.
“My commitment emanates from strong belief that support from the UN and development partners will have a positive impact over-time through building strong democratic, social and economic national institutions, including robust independent watchdogs in line with the Constitution as well as agile civic and civil society organizations.”
“My vision together with UN team and partners has, for example, led the UN to formally adopt the Delivering as One approach in Zimbabwe in 2016 has enabled the UN Team in the country to be ahead of the curve on the implementation of the UN development system reform agenda which was formally adopted by the General Assembly on 31 May 2018. This comprehensive reform agenda involves a set of far-reaching changes to ensure that the UN works more cohesively to support countries including Zimbabwe in their quest towards Agenda 2030 under a reinvigorated RC System.”
Turning to the media Parajuli implored the fourth estate to keep being the voice of the voiceless, keep the good fight in advancing human rights, justice and at the same time casting the country in good light so that the people of Zimbabwe reap the fruit of the abundant resources they have through tourism and investment.
