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Herald Reporter

The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Development Strategy 1 2021-2025 was approved by Cabinet yesterday fulfilling the pledge made by President Mnangagwa when the economic blueprint was launched last year that a system would be put in place to ensure that targets are met.

The monitoring framework was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday.

The system ensures that the strategy is a working document, not just a set of documents expressing a pious hope.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said NDS1 would be implemented and monitored using 14 thematic working groups.

“The framework outlines the annual targets for each national priority area, national key result area, national outcome, and key performance indicators,” she said.

The 14 national priority areas are: economic growth and stability; food security and nutrition; moving the economy up the value chain and structural transformation; infrastructure and utilities; digital economy; human capital development and innovation; health and well-being; image building, and international engagement and re-engagement; devolution and de-centralisation; women, youth, sport and culture; social protection; environmental protection, climate resilience and natural resources management; housing delivery; and governance.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the thematic working groups go beyond staff of relevant Government ministries and include other key stakeholders such as members of the private sector, academia and civil society.

“Annual targets will be reviewed based on quarterly targets attainment, which will be ascertained from reports presented to Cabinet for approval. The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework engenders greater efficiency in assessing progress made in the implementation of the NDS1,” she said.

NDS1 is the second step of the Second Republic’s drive to attain Vision 2030 of an upper middle income society, succeeding the Transitional Stabilisation Programme, which ran from October 2018 to the end of last year.

Cabinet also approved the final Ministerial Action Plan that is compliant with the NDS1 2021-2025, which was presented by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava.

The deliverables of the plan include: appointment of eight honorary consuls during the five-year period; establishment of 25 new export markets and facilitating 100 trade investment missions and improving international relations through such undertakings as signing of 150 cooperation agreements and 26 Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements.