THE Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has begun stakeholder consultations to inform the thrust of the second phase of the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2), which is set to run from 2026 to 2030.
The strategy will focus on 10 priority areas,streamlined from the initial fourteen under NDS1. The current strategy, NDS1, is set to conclude in December 2025.
Speaking during a high-level consultative workshop, Deputy Chief Secretary for Policy Analysis, Coordination, Development Planning and Devolution, Mr Willard Manungo, said the government was determined to ensure that the second phase builds upon the gains of the first.
“Cabinet approved the NDS2 Roadmap on September 17, 2024, which guides the formulation process towards final adoption in November 2025. We have now identified 10 thematic areas.
The priority areas are as follows: Macro-Economic Stability and Financial Sector Deepening Inclusive Economic Growth and Structural Transformation Infrastructure Development and Housing
Food Security, Climate Resilience, and Environmental Protection Science, 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 Decentralisation Image Building, International Relations and Trade Good Governance, Institution Building, Peace and Security,” he said. He went further to elaborate on the importance of the workshops.
“These workshops are crucial for the final validation of the National Results Framework and Sector Results Framework, and to agree on bold, impactful strategic interventions for the next five years,” Mr Manungo said.
To ensure objectivity and transparency in the process, the government has engaged a private consultant to carry out an independent assessment of NDS1 implementation, focusing on achievements, gaps, and lessons learnt.
“We are taking stock of the strides made, particularly in infrastructure, food security, peace, and security, all in the context of Zimbabwe’s resilience despite the economic sanctions. However, for credibility, we engaged a local consultant to review the progress of NDS1, and this review will guide the next phase,” Mr Manungo said.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Simon Masanga, who coordinates the Social Development and Social Protection pillar, applauded government interventions during the last phase, especially under difficult circumstances such as the 2023–2024 drought.
“The president declared that no one should die of hunger in this country. We had a devastating drought in 2023-2024. We were feeding more than 6 million people. True to his word, no one died of hunger. School dropout rates, we have managed to contain them. The BEAM programme is up and running, ensuring every child is in school.
“We are protecting women from abuse, and the programmes running in the Ministry of Women Affairs are testimony to what we can do to protect our women and other vulnerable members of society. We now have a disability department in this country, which was never there before, to look at issues of empowerment related to skills development for all persons. We have several vocational training centres in this country, but we need to upgrade these VTCs, especially under NDS2,” he said.
The NDS2 consultations are incorporating voices from across government, the private sector, civil society, and communities to ensure that the strategy is inclusive, people-driven, and aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 of achieving an upper-middle-income economy.
