The European Union (EU) on Monday gave Zimbabwe 89 million Euros (100 million U.S. dollars) to support the southern African country’s health, agriculture and institutional governance programs.
The grant is part of the 234 million Euros (270 million U.S. dollars) five-year funding support committed to Zimbabwe by the EU under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) 2014-2020 National Indicative Program.
The EU and Zimbabwe signed the EDF agreement in February this year following the EU’s lifting of decade-old sanctions on Zimbabwe in November 2014.
The 89 million Euros brings to 123 million Euros the total amount that Zimbabwe has drawn down from the total 234 million grant since February this year.
The EU has targeted to commit more than two thirds of the total grant this year.
EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Philipe Van Damme signed the 89 million Euro funding agreement on behalf of the EU while Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Willard Manungo signed on behalf of Zimbabwe.
Manungo said out of the 89 million Euros, 55 million Euros will go towards the health sector, 15 million Euros for food and nutrition security sector, 10 million Euros for public finance management reforms and 3 million Euros for migration governance.
A total of 6 million Euros is for capacity building in the National Authorising Office at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
The funds will be administered by UN agencies including UNICEF, World Bank, UNDP, FAO and IOM.
Manungo said funding under the health sector is aimed at alleviating maternal and child mortality and strengthening of national health systems at provincial and district levels.
The agriculture funding will enhance the food and nutrition status and overall resilience of vulnerable communities to better cope with climate change challenges while funding for public finance management reforms will improve transparency and accountability in the use of public resources in the country.
The migration governance funding will assist in the development of a migrant policy to enhance migrants’ rights so that they can contribute to economic development of the country.
The EU has over the years accused Zimbabwe of undermining human rights, a charge that the bloc used to impose sanctions on the country in 2002. The sanctions were lifted last year.
