The UN Secretary General recently titillated the need to put people at
the center of development, his words on the Road to 2030 are a key factor as we are in the advent of new developmental goals.
Zimbabwe faced a plethora of challenges within the period of Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), these challenges can be attributed to both global
trend of crisis and human political era in the local discourse.
Zimbabwe is one of those 189 countries in year 2000, who adopted the
MDGs categorically with the main target to eradicate extreme poverty and
hunger, and achieve the desired human centered development.
The country mainly prioritized three goals which are MDG 1, MDG 3, MDG
6; that is Eradication of Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Promote Gender Equality, Empower
Women and Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases. This indeed was
favorable approach given our state of affairs in priority areas.
Having clearly defined our priorities in 2000, the momentum was stolen
due to socio-economic challenges which militated against the attainment of
MDGs. For instance, from the year 2000 to 2008 the country cumulatively
realized negative economic growth rate of about 40(%) percent. There was stratospheric rate of inflation, a
galloping rate of 231 million in June 2008 was reached; hunger and poverty
worsened, the economy remain naked with no one ready to dress it until the
Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2009, that slowly brought positive growth
due to the introduction of economic policies among them Short Term Emergency
Recovery Programme (STERP), one of the key element of such a blue print was the
formalization of the multi-currency regime.
It is clear that the country will not meet the targets set by the end of
MDGs, but it is again an opportunity to introspect on lessons learnt which will
be a key driver on the coming Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs).
Having failed to move meaningful steps toward the eradication of poverty
and hunger, with unemployment raising, health sector collapsing, education
became the privilege of the elite, gender equality used as political conduit,
it is clear that Zimbabwe need to carry forward the unfinished business of
MDGs, strategically congruent them with the new Agenda set for 2016,
acknowledging her failures and political commitment, making pro-poor steps,
this might trigger a new developmental era.
The major first step failure of my beloved country is failure to consult
with its citizens during crafting of important goals or policies, with the
contemporary world calling for pro-poor strategies that start with the active
involvement of communities in the programs; Zimbabwe should de-politicize the
developmental agenda to allow free flow of national programs and feedback.
On the MDGs, government did not do enough to create awareness, Post 2015
Development Agenda; there is a dire need to involve all stakeholders from the
onset.
The focus as opposed to MDGs era, should be in post 2015-economic
development rather than economic growth. Economic growth as in 2009 may come
without eradication of poverty.
The other lesson is on our National Budget which should factor programs
that will accelerate the achievement of SDGs; the budget should strengthen our
agriculture to restore our glory, support education as prescribed international
and regional declarations, to maintain our glamour, support youth and children
to accelerate our future and give credence to pro-poor initiatives, taking
advantage of our vast natural resource and human capital base.
The country‘s effort towards development is mainly affected by the rate
of corruption, resources end up benefiting the elite at the expense of the
proletariat. Tough laws should be in place to deal with corruption. The
government should also address inequality and marginalization, with vulnerable
groups such as people living with disability, children, youth, women, and
indigenous people among other getting a state of affair node that is equal to
all.
Since 2000, Zimbabwe produced
about four Progress Reports on the progress of MDGs, that is, 2004, 2007, 2010,
and 2012 respectively. Taking note from all this reports it is un-debatable
that the country will not fulfill a number of MDGs.
There is need of political will to spear head our development, with the
existence of ZIMASSET document, a lot can be done to link it to the Post 2015
Developmental Agenda, supported by other critical tenants such as respect of human rights, rule of law opposed to rule by
law, mutual international engagement, favorable investment policy; Zimbabwe can
trace its lost developmental route.
Let’s wait and see!
Misheck Gondo is an International Relations Expert
and Regional Youth Coordinator with SADC-AAYC.
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