Sunday, January 01, 2017

United Nations Reviews Zimbabwe Support
HAPPINESS CHIKWANHA
Sunday Mail Reporter

The United Nations is carrying out an extensive review of the programmes carried out under the 2016-2020 Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF), which has pledged a US$1,6 billion support programme targeting ZimAsset projects.ZUNDAF is a strategic programme framework to support ZimAsset and advance on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) signed between Government and the multi-lateral organisation in 2015. Under the ZUNDAF programme, the multilateral agency has pledged to support development programmes in Zimbabwe over four years.

By August last year, United Nations had spent more than US$200 million on various developmental projects that include food and nutrition security, poverty reduction and value addition, social services and protection, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and women’s empowerment, good governance and public administration.

The UN Zimbabwe office is conducting an extensive review of the programmes undertaken during 2016. Head of Office at the UN Resident Co-ordinator in Zimbabwe office, Kanako Mabuchi said a high level meeting to deliberate on the outcome of the review was in the process.

Responding to questions from The Sunday Mail she said, “We are currently in the process of compiling and analyzing the results achieved in 2016, and we plan to have a dedicated high-level meeting in January/February next year.”

The review will pave the way for the release of further funds for this year’s programmes. Close to US$400 million is earmarked for the programme this year, while US$243 million was disbursed in the first half of 2016.

Funding for the programmes is being mobilised from UN’s core budget and contributions from development partners. Under the last round of ZUNDAF (2012-2015), the UN mobilised US$1,6 million in financial support after initially planning to raise US$1,5 billion.

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