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Herald Reporter
THE United Nations strongly supports the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation and has pledged to help raise resources necessary for its full implementation.

This was said by UN Resident Co-ordinator Mr Bishow Parajuli during the 2012 -2015 Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) annual review and 2016-2020 validation held in Harare recently

“UN will continue to increase support to Government in ensuring that the appropriate plans, platforms, programmes and policies are in place to drive the national development agenda of Zim-Asset in such a manner where all stakeholders can rally and support,” he said.

Mr Parajuli said over the past five years, joint and concerted efforts by Government, UN, donors and civil society revitalised the social sectors.

He said maternal mortality declined by one third from 960 per 100 000 live births to 614, immunisation more than doubled with 69 percent of children in the country immunised compared to 37 percent in 2009.

In education, 57,5 percent children now attend secondary school compared to 48,8 percent in 2009.

HIV prevalence among adults declined by half while deaths decreased by one quarter due to increased number of people on treatment.

Half a million people are food insecure as compared to over two million in the previous season.

“This is a commendable progress and we should be proud of this turnaround,” he said.

Mr Parajuli described Zim-Asset as a strong national development plan to co-ordinate and steer actions of all stakeholders.

“Recent efforts by the Government to translate Zim-Asset into concrete action plans are noteworthy, in that all development partners can contribute to clear priorities.

“We need to link both Zim-Asset and ZUNDAF to harmonise all our actions so that we move with speed in the implementation of Zim-Asset and show results,” he said.