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Herald Reporter

Government and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) last week signed an agreement for the hosting of the forthcoming Sixth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) in Victoria Falls at the end of next month.

Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Simon Masanga signed on behalf of Government, while the director of the African Centre for Statistics Mr Oliver Chinganya represented the ECA.

Mr Masanga said Zimbabwe was ready to host the intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder platform convened by the ECA in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and the United Nations system.

Mr Chinganya and his team met with the UN Country Team under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Maria Valle Ribeiro, who urged all the UN agencies in the country to work in supporting the successful hosting of the ARFSD.

“We all have to work together to make a success of this forum, especially as this is the beginning of the decade of action to deliver the SDGs by 2030,” said Ms Ribeiro.

The ECA team also meet senior officials from Zimbabwe’s Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Ministry, which is working with UNESCO in preparation for the African Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Forum, that will precede the ARFSD.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry Professor Fanuel Tagwira said: “For us, this meeting is very important because not only will it allow us to showcase our country, but it also gives us a great opportunity to ensure science and technology gets the visibility it should on the continent.”

The ARFSD is an annual multi-stakeholder platform which brings together ministers, senior officials and practitioners from UN member states.