Cabinet received and noted the report on the food deficit mitigation strategy, urban cash transfer programme and movement of grain, as presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Honourable July Moyo.
The second phase of the grain distribution blitz has now gained momentum as food insecure people continue to receive their 3-months' supply of grain.
To date, a total of 31 889,85 tonnes of grain has been distributed and schools have commenced collection of supplies for the emergency school feeding programme. A total of 139 854.94 tonnes of grain is expected to be distributed during the months August to October.
Regarding the urban-cash-for-cereal programme, beneficiary registration as well as data cleaning and validation is underway across all the urban domains. NetOne has been contracted to pay urban beneficiaries under the programme, and payments are expected to commence by end of this week.
THE HEALTH WORKFORCE STRATEGY: 2023-2030 AND HEALTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT COMPACT: 2024-2026
Cabinet considered and approved the Health Workforce Strategy: 2023-2030 and Health Workforce Investment Compact: 2024-2026, which was presented by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Honourable Professor Amon Murwira, as chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Human Capital Development, Skills Application and Employment Creation.
The Health Workforce Strategy: 2023-2030 aims at ensuring a sustainable and resilient health workforce capable of supporting Zimbabwe's goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
The 5 Strategic Themes for the Health Workforce Strategy are as follows:
Education, Training and Development;
Deployment, Utilisation and Governance;
Retention and Migration Management;
Monitoring and Evaluation, ICT and Research; and
Planning and Financing.
The Education, Training and Development pillar seeks to align all health worker training programmes with health sector needs, to increase annual training outputs from 3 334 in 2022 to at least 7 000 by 2030, to professionalize and integrate community health workers into the main workforce and to refurbish and expand training schools infrastructure.
Under the Health Workforce Retention and Migration Management pillar, the aim is to remunerate optimally in terms of Government modalities to in order reduce the attrition rate by 2030. The Health Workforce Monitoring, Evaluation, ICT and Research pillar aims to strengthen the Health Workforce Management Information System (MIS), to digitalise the Health Workforce management systems, and to strengthen Health Workforce Research to inform the decision-making processes.
The Health Workforce Planning and Financing pillar seeks to increase per capita investment in health from the current US$9 to at least US$32, with a long-term goal of US$55 per capita. Key strategic interventions include increasing domestic resources mobilisation and aligning investments in the health workforce by Government, the private sector and development partners.
REPORT ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE JOB EVALUATION EXERCISE
Cabinet considered and approved the report on the public service job evaluation, as presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Honourable July Moyo.
In February 2023, the Public Service Commission conducted a job evaluation across 21 Government line ministries. The purpose of the exercise was to establish the composition and value of jobs and functions across the ministries.
The key findings of the evaluation exercise included the advancement via grade system which violates the principles of job evaluation that a job must maintain its grade throughout its lifetime unless the duties of the job have changed to warrant regrading; functional duplications and overlaps in roles within and across line ministries; the duties and jobs of chief directors and directors being identical which situation must render one of the jobs redundant; the existence of more managerial jobs than non-managerial jobs; and the prevalence of dead-end jobs for specialists.
The findings of the job evaluation will result in the review of manning levels across all line ministries at national and sub-national levels, rationalisation of staff; up-skilling and re-skilling of members; adoption of a new compensation framework; and the implementation of a new salary structure to conform with the principle of equal pay for equal work.
Consultations are now underway for optimisation and rationalisation of the findings, with a view to aligning structures to Vision 2030 as well the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
ICT FOR DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT(ICT4DRM) INITIATIVE
Cabinet received and approved the Report on ICT for Disaster Risk Management (ICT4DRM), as presented by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development as chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Innovation, Technology, Development and Application, Honourable Professor Amon Murwira.
Zimbabwe, like many other countries, faces various natural and climate- induced hazards such as floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and disease outbreaks. Information technology is advancing rapidly, making it possible to map space, identify and analyse data before, during and after a disaster in unprecedented detail in real time. The Government of Zimbabwe mooted the ICT for Disaster Risk Management initiative in response to the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Idai, the El Nino-induced drought in the 2023/2024 farming season and other past disasters and disease outbreaks. The initiative resonates with regional and International Conventions which Zimbabwe is party to, requiring the country to steer ICT sector initiatives in disaster risk management.
Cabinet noted that the ICT for Disaster Risk Management initiative adopts and integrates its information and communication technologies (ICT) for disaster risk management in order to enhance disaster mitigation, preparedness and recovery through rapid communication and information sharing; early warning systems; remote sensing and GIS mapping; data collection and analysis; public awareness and education, and coordination and collaboration before, during and after the disaster.
MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORTS ON THE 2ND 100-DAY CYCLE OF 2024
Cabinet received and noted reports on progress made in the implementation of priority projects for the Second 100-Day Cycle of 2024, as presented by the Ministers of Energy and Power Development; and Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable Edgar Moyo highlighted the following achievements for projects under his purview:
The Chitulipasi Community Solar Project in Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South Province is 95 percent completion;
The Mtshabi grid project in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North Province is 99 percent completion;
The Matsetsa project in Buhera District, Manicaland Province is 99 percent complete;
The Dete community solar Project, in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West Province is 90 percent complete; and
The Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Station has reached 90 percent completion.
The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development highlighted the following achievements for projects under his purview:
Construction of the Midlands State University Kwekwe Law School is 79 percent completion;
Construction of the Bindura University of Science Education and the National Biotechnology-Muzarabani masawu value addition plant is 68 percent complete;
Construction of the Lupane State University-Bingwa Wildlife Eco-Tourism Innovation and Industrial Park is at 88 percent completion;
Construction of the Great Zimbabwe University- Chivi Centre for Dryland Agriculture is 56 percent complete;
Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Wildlife Fencing Project for the Agro-Innovation and Industrial Park is 60 percent complete; and
100 people were trained under the Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme (ISEOP).
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 29TH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE (COP 29) TO BE HELD IN BAKU, AZERBAIJAN: 11-22 NOVEMBER 2024; AND REPORT ON THE CARBON CREDITS SYMPOSIUM: 19 AUGUST 2024, HARARE
Cabinet noted the update on preparations for the 29th Conference of Parties (COP 29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, 2024; and a report on the Carbon Credits Symposium that was held on 19 August, 2024. The reports were presented by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Honourable Dr SGG Nyoni.
As part of the roadmap to COP 29, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife will constitute an inter-ministerial and cross-sectoral delegation based on the diversity of topics to be negotiated and in some cases, experience in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and will organise a national pre-COP 29 conference. The ministry attended the 10th special session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP 16 regional consultation that was held in Abijan, Cote d'Ivoire from August 30 to September 6, 2024. COP 29 is dubbed a finance COP and is set to explore a fair and ambitious new collective quantified goal on climate finance adequate to the urgency and scale of the climate problem, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries. The President will address the COP 29 plenary.
REPORT ON PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA'S STATE VISIT TO CHINA AND ATTENDANCE OF THE FOCAC SUMMIT: BEIJING, CHINA: AUGUST 28 TO SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
Cabinet received and noted a report on the President's recent State visit to China and attendance of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit held in Beijing, China as presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Dr FM Shava.
President Mnangagwa, undertook a successful State visit to China from August 28 to September 3, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping. The State visit was followed by the summit, which ran from September 4 to 6 in Beijing.
The President also had the opportunity to visit his former college, the Nanjing Army Command College, and held a meeting with the secretary of the Jiangsu Communist Party of China, His Excellency Zin Changxing. He concluded the State Visit in Beijing by holding bilateral meetings with his counterpart, His Excellency President, Xi Jinping, the Chinese Premier, His Excellency Lin Qiang, and had further engagements with Chinese investors. The Chinese leadership undertook to broaden and deepen collaboration with Zimbabwe across multiple sectors including investment, trade, infrastructure development, mineral resources extraction, renewable energy, and digital economy growth.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of 17 Legal Instruments of Cooperation, which included 14 Memoranda of Understanding and three letters of exchange.
The nation is also informed that on September 5, the President attended the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Summit and delivered a speech that focused on how China and Africa could nurture and strengthen relations. The President also attended the high-level meeting on State Government and made a presentation in which he outlined his vision of an independent development path for Africa and the Global South, without undue foreign influence, and called for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe.
On September 6, the President attended the 8th Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs, at which he delivered a speech marketing the country's vast business opportunities.
Key outcomes of the FOCAC Summit included the adoption of a Declaration focusing on jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future; fostering synergies for high-quality belt and road cooperation and the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a strategic framework for joint action for deepening dialogue among cultures and civilizations. The Heads of State also adopted the Beijing Action Plan 2025 to 2027 which focuses on 10 partnership actions.
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REPORT ON THE VISIT BY THE VICE PRESIDENT KCD MOHADI ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE CHURCH OF CENTRAL AFRICA PRESBYTERIAN (CCAP) GENERAL ASSEMBLY: 25 AUGUST 2024: LILONGWE, MALAWI.
Vice President Col (Rtd) KCD. Mohadi presented a report on the visit he undertook to Malawi for the centenary celebrations of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian General Assembly on August 25, 2024.
Prior to attending the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian General Assembly centenary celebrations, the Vice President toured one of the largest crocodile farms in Malawi, the Croco-Nile Crocodile Farm in Salima District.
Of special note was the adoption of technology in crocodile farming techniques and production process at the farm, which had more than 15 000 reptiles. The Vice President highlighted that Malawi and Zimbabwe have an opportunity to collaborate and share expertise and markets for the crocodile skin value chain.
Meanwhile the centenary celebrations drew Church of Central Africa Presbyterian congregants from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Presbyterian leaders from South Africa, Canada, Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland, among other nations. The celebrations had intercessory prayers for the nations of Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
The Vice President paid a courtesy call on the Malawian President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, where discussion centred on the continued collaboration between the two countries, with emphasis on the implementation of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that have been concluded by the two countries.
REPORT ON THE 19TH EDITION OF THE CII INDIA-AFRICA BUSINESS CONCLAVE BY THE VICE PRESIDENT GEN (RTD) DR CGDN CHIWENGA
Vice President Gen (Rtd) Dr CGDN Chiwenga presented a report on the 19th Confederation of India Industry India-Africa Business Conclave which the attended from August 20 to 22, 2024 in New Delhi, India. The purpose of the visit was to market opportunities for investment in Zimbabwe, follow-up on pending memoranda as well as strengthen India-Zimbabwe relations.
During the inaugural session, the Vice President stressed the need for increased co-operation, given the country's present chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community, its centrality in the region as well as its membership of the African Continental Free Trade Area membership.
He also flagged opportunities for investment in Zimbabwe's various economic sectors during the country's Focus Session, and investors expressed interest to collaborate with Zimbabwe in the areas of space industry, telemedicine, artificial intelligence and digital health. The Vice President underscored Zimbabwe's commitment to continue conversations with the prospective investors,and the need for follow-ups and implementation of agreed Memoranda of Understanding.
He also held meetings with various prospective investors focusing on the following areas: solar and hydro energy investment; mining; the Hwange Thermal Power Station repowering project; an industrial park for cotton value addition and the development of the beef sector through the Cold Storage Commission; and water supply schemes, among others.
