Fifth post cabinet briefing

• FOOD SECURITY OUTLOOK FOR THE 2024/2025 SUMMER SEASON

Cabinet received and noted the Report on Food Security Outlook for the 2024/2025 Summer Season, which was presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka.

The current grain stock at the Grain Marketing Board is enough to meet the needs of rural communities until the next harvest, expected from April 2025. Grain stocks are currently 129 149 metric tonnes. Government continues to monitor volumes of imports, stocks at millers, import prices and import sources in order to eliminate arbitrage opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has set up 214 surveillance traps for African Armyworm whose outbreak is the worst in 20 years across the country. All districts now have chemicals for “standby reaction” to this pest. Sixty trucks, one for each district, have been purchased in order to timely respond to this pest menace and to be better prepared going forward. Additionally, 639 809 knapsack sprayers have also been distributed to some beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Scheme.

2.0   NATIONAL PRIORITIES FOR THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2: 2026-2030 (NDS 2)

Cabinet considered and approved the National Priorities for the National Development Strategy 2: January 2026 to December 2030 (NDS2), as presented by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Honourable Professor Mtuli Ncube.

The National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025 (NDS1) will come to an end in December 2025. As such, the National Development Strategy 2: 2026-2030 will be the Second Republic’s second 5-Year Medium-Term Plan for attaining the country’s Vision 2030. Government has now adopted 10 National Priorities that will guide and underpin the formulation and implementation of the NDS 2 blueprint as follows:

• Macro-Economic Stability and Financial Sector Deepening;
• Inclusive Economic Growth and Structural Transformation;
• Infrastructural Development and Housing;
• Food Security, Climate Resilience and Environmental Protection;
• Technology, Innovation and Human Capital Development;
• Job Creation, Youth Development, Creative Industry and Culture;
• Social Development and Social Protection;
• Regional Development and Inclusivity through Devolution and Decentralization;
• Image Building, International Diplomacy and Trade; and
• Good Governance, Institution Building, and Security

The streamlined National Priorities are geared to optimize resource allocation and strengthen sectoral coordination for effective and impactful delivery of services to the citizenry. A broad-based consultative process will buttress Thematic Working Group re-alignment across the different socio-economic sectors, leading to the actual drafting and launch of the NDS2 by October 2025.

3.0   PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST 100-DAY-CYCLE OF 2025

Cabinet considered and approved the compendium for the First 100-Day Cycle Projects for 2025, which was presented by the Minister of State for National Security, Honourable Lovemore Matuke.

The First 100-Day Cycle is running from 3^rd February 2025 to 13^th May 2025.  The Cycle covers two hundred and thirty-six (236) projects, and involves projects from all Ministries and Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA). Of the total, 33 projects are being implemented countrywide, while a total of 10 projects will be implemented outside Zimbabwe. Some of the projects are replicated in more than one province. Table 1 shows projects distribution according to geographical location.

Table 1: Projects Distribution According To Geographical Location

The nation is informed that the projects were selected according to their potential contribution to the aspirations of Vision 2030 focusing primarily on the improvement of the livelihoods of citizens in all communities.  The projects are distributed according to the fourteen (14) Thematic Areas of the National Development Strategy, which ends in December 2025.  Given the thrust of Government to deliver projects that unlock the overall socio-economic growth, the Infrastructure and Utilities Pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 has the highest number of forty-three (43) projects. Twenty-five projects are being implemented under the Devolution and Decentralisation Thematic Area. Eleven projects contribute to the Binga Development Initiative and these cover construction of a new clinic, completion of the new registry offices and the installation of solar energy infrastructure in clinics and registry offices. Additionally, 62 projects across the selected 14 Ministries, Departments and Agencies are identifiable with the 21^st National People’s Conference Resolutions.

In order to strengthen internal monitoring by the respective Ministries, a regular tracking schedule will be used, while progress as at Day 50 will be publicized as per standing practice.  Site visits to selected projects will be conducted to validate progress across the country.

4.0   UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SOLARISATION PROGRAMME

Cabinet considered and approved the Implementation of the Presidential Solarisation Programme Report, as presented by the Minister of State for National Security, Honourable Lovemore Matuke.

Following the approval of the Implementation Plan for the Presidential Solarisation Programme in December 2024, significant milestones have been made towards the provision of solar power to 200 000 households. Guidelines for the implementation of the programme have been established with stakeholder mapping and identification of beneficiaries in villages across the eight rural provinces already completed.  Community mobilization and awareness processes spearheaded by the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution have also been completed. Graduates of the Youth Service in Zimbabwe with assistance from experts from the Harare Institute of Technology and the Rural Electrification Agency will install a total of 200 000 solar kits to the identified households. His Excellency President Cde. Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa will launch the Presidential Solarisation Programme to mark the official commencement of the first year of the Programme.

5.0   MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA ON COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF TOURISM

Cabinet considered and approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism, which was presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi.

The major objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding are to strengthen the friendly relations and mutual understanding between Zimbabwe and Algeria in the field of tourism; to provide a broad framework that will guide working relations for the development and promotion of tourism for both countries; to enhance cooperation in the exchange of expertise, research, and best practices in tourism development; and to promote joint tourism initiatives and investments between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

6.0   REPORT ON THE SADC CLUSTER MEETING OF MINISTERS

OF TRANSPORT, ICT, INFORMATION AND METEOROLOGY:

24-28 FEBRUARY 2025

Cabinet received and approved the SADC Cluster Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Transport, Information Communication Technology, Information and Meteorology Report, as presented by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Felix Tapiwa Mhona.

The SADC Cluster Meeting of Ministers of Transport, Information Communication Technology, Information and Meteorology met in Harare on 28^th February 2025 to review sectoral progress achieved since the last meetings held in June 2023 and in August 2024, during the SADC Summit of Heads of State and the SADC Council of Ministers. Notable achievements include the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the North-South Corridor and the Agreement on the Beira Development Corridor which comprises the Democratic Republic Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The North South Corridor comprises Botswana, Democratic Republic Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The short and medium-term preliminary measures drawn from the cluster meetings are as follows:

1. Strengthening legal and institutional framework on Infrastructural Development, Trade and Industrialization Strategy;
2. Implementation of trade and industrialization strategy;

• Rebalancing roads and rail modes of transport;

1. Enhancing regional collaboration in order to increase geographical diversity;
2. Designing alternate ICT Optical Fibre Cable infrastructure owned by utility companies;
3. Approval of Electronic Communications Equipment in SADC; and

• Enhancing access to Smart phones or Internet-Enabled Devices in the SADC region.

7.0   REPORT ON A LEARNING VISIT TO CHINA BY THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND WILDLIFE

Cabinet received and approved the Learning Visit to China Report, as presented by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Honourable, Dr. Sithembiso G. Nyoni.

The Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife visited the Peoples’s Republic of China from 23 to 28 February 2025. The visit was aimed at   strengthening bilateral relations with China on environmental policy in general, and to specifically share mutual experiences on the hosting of high-level events like the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Wetlands to be held from 23 to 31^st July 2025 in Victoria Falls. China hosted COP 14.

The salient outcomes of the visit include a raft of measures instituted by Government aimed at strengthening preparations for hosting the COP 15 in Victoria Falls which are now in full swing. An Inter-Ministerial Committee has already been established to spearhead the preparations.