The streets of Harare were alive with action early Friday morning as hundreds of NetOne and Harare City workers came together, brooms in hand, to answer President Mnangagwa’s call for a cleaner nation. Under the National Cleanup Day initiative—observed every first Friday of the month—the teams set out to transform the city, one street at…
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and the Wildlife Conservation Network are partnering to launch a new wildlife leadership program focusing entirely on rhino conservation practitioners. The program will begin in May. This transformative program—Rising Wildlife Leaders: Careers—will equip local conservationists in the countries where rhinos live with the skills, mentorship, and career support they need to make a lasting…
As the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident, the role of faith leaders in climate adaptation has gained significant importance. Faith communities, guided by their values and teachings, have the potential to influence public opinion, mobilize resources, and foster community resilience. On 23 April 2025, the Methodist Development and Relief Agency (MeDRA), in partnership…
On Wednesday, a Spiked Online Media correspondent visited the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Zimbabwe stand at the 2025 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) to get insights about the UN agency’s work in the country. Below are excerpts from the interview: Question 1: What is the overarching goal of UNDP Zimbabwe’s work? Answer: At…
Writes Sam Matsekete Old Mutual’s interest in renewable energy has been established over a period now, and we continue that commitment. Firstly, within the Old Mutual operations themselves, we seek to uphold responsible business practices, and we are looking at how we can ensure that we are climate-friendly in the ways that we conduct…
Forty-five years after Zimbabwe attained independence, the country has witnessed several developmental initiatives, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said. In his address today, 18 April 2025, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Dr E. D. Mnangagwa in Gokwe, Nembudziya in the Midlands Province said central to the country’s development is the commitment…
The Government of Japan provides support, in partnership with UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, and UNOPS, to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and has launched five transformative projects under Japan’s 2024 Supplementary Budget and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). These initiatives aim to strengthen maternal and child health, prevent malnutrition, modernize medical…
Writes Sirak Gebrehiwot 16 April 2025, Harare – The Atlas Transnational Roadshow launched today with an array of significant events designed to transform Africa’s role in the global economic arena. Together with government officials, the United Nations, industry experts, and policymakers, the roadshow highlighted Africa’s vast potential and its strategic path towards sustainable economic growth…
NetOne, in collaboration with the City of Harare, led a vibrant clean-up campaign in the heart of Harare’s Central Business District (CBD), aimed at promoting a cleaner, greener, and healthier urban environment. The initiative, held on the first Friday of the month in line with the national clean-up programme, brought together NetOne staff, City…
If you look around a Senegalese village, you will see the connection. Farmers under a mango tree drinking the afternoon pot of attaya (tea). A cluster of children from all corners of the community magnetically gathered around a soccer ball like Mecca and the idea that they could be the next Sadio Mané. Or a…
Writes Edgar Gweshe Birdlife Zimbabwe (BLZ), in collaboration with the Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT) and the Netherlands Embassy in Zimbabwe, has launched an art and essay competition aimed at raising awareness on wetlands protection. The competition, being held under the theme, “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future” is open to primary and secondary school students….
Stakeholders have said the process of coming up with the City of Harare’s Environment and Climate Policy has been very inclusive in several respects. This emerged last week at a multi-stakeholder dialogue forum that brought together representatives from the Government, Local Authorities within the Harare metropolitan area, the Private Sector, and Civil Society to…
Water and sanitation play an important role in the pursuit of Africa’s development aspirations given their direct bearing on all basic social and economic indicators, Hon Vangelis Haritatos, the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has said. He made the remarks during the official opening of the Southern Africa Sub-regional…
In the drought-prone district of Mwenezi, Zimbabwe, farmers battle unpredictable rainfall and dwindling agricultural yields. Climate change has made traditional farming methods unreliable, forcing smallholder farmers to seek new solutions. For Chizivano Shava, a lead farmer in the Climate Resilient Livelihoods (CRL) project, innovation is not just an option, it’s a necessity. Supported by…
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is holding a three-day workshop in Harare to promote the effective management of the continent’s water resources and provision of water supply services. In his address during the first day of the workshop today, Engineer Tinayeshe Mutazu, the Chief Director of Water Resources, Irrigation Development, and National…
A multi-stakeholder collaborative dialogue is contributing to the development of the City of Harare Environment and Climate Policy that addresses the confluence of climate change and environmental sustainability and hence contributes towards the city’s sunshine status. In his welcome remarks at the workshop in Harare today, Eng Phakamile Mabhena Moyo, the City of Harare’s…
Maputo, Mozambique — ideialab has been selected as one of five standout ecosystem builders for the next phase of Village Capital’s Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa (ESEA) program. With support from Norad – the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, ideialab will receive up to USD 260K (approx. MZN 16M) to empower climate-focused startups in Mozambique….
One of the most topical issues on the agenda of the Southern African Development Community-European Union (SADC-EU) Ministerial Partnership Dialogue in Harare, Zimbabwe today is peace and security. In his opening remarks, Zimbbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. Prof. Dr. Amon Murwira, and Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers said…
In pursuit of enhancing resilience in a multi-shock environment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Resident Coordinator’s Office of Zimbabwe, today, officially launched Phase 2 of the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF), together with its donors, the European Union and the Government of Ireland. ZRBF is a…
On 3 March 2025, the UN-Habitat under the Harare Sustainable Cities Initiative (HSCI) funded by the Swedish Embassy in Zimbabwe, handed over sustainable waste management Information, Education, and Communication Materials to the implementing partners under the Initiative. The IEC materials were developed in collaboration with the UN-Habitat Waste Wise Cities Team and implementing partners. …
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – At least 15 billion dollars a year up to 2030 is the amount the continent needs to increase its capacity to adapt to and mitigate climate change, outgoing African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko said. The Ambassador, who made a name for herself during two terms in the Department of…
Addis Ababa – 16 February 2025 – Angolan Josefa Correia Sacko, outgoing African Union Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, was honoured in Addis Ababa, with a medal of honour of merit, by the President of the Republic, Mohamed Oud Ghazouani. Th honour came on the sidelines…
Waste pickers from Epworth, Harare Showground, Tafara, Highfields, and Mabvuku have been trained in waste sorting, reducing, recycling, reuse, and management. Addressing graduates during the awarding of certificates and handover of protective clothing at the Mabvuku-Tafara Multi-clean Energy Centre today, Engineer Herbert Parichi, the Director of Infrastructure Planning and Environmental Management in the Office…
A ‘very rich’ legacy built up during the last eight years at the head of the continental body’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) portfolio is her gift to the new African Union Commissioner, the outgoing Commissioner of the African Union, Josefa Correia Sacko has said. The diplomat said this during…
The Government of Eswatini has hailed the election of former Cabinet Minister, Mr. Moses Vilakati, as the Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) in the African Union Commission. This achievement follows a highly competitive election held at the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where…
As the 38th African Union (AU) Summit roared to life today, the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), the One Campaign, and Christian Aid, through an online webinar, urged African Heads of State and Government and the African Union Commissioners who will take office to consider taking urgent initiatives to reform global…
Commissioner of the African Union’s Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Josefa Correia Sacko said in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) that although agriculture is an important sector, most farmers on the continent practice rainfed agriculture, which is highly vulnerable to climate change. The Diplomat, who made these remarks at the International…
Over the past 30 years, extreme events such as wildfires, droughts, floods, and heat waves have multiplied due to the warming climate. According to climate models and research conducted by the IPCC, NASA, and other scientific institutions, their frequency, intensity, and duration are expected to grow in the future. Apart from the dramatic toll…
Ahead of the African Union (AU) Summit this week, a new report by ActionAid reveals that over three-quarters of all lower-income countries spend more on foreign debt than on their own healthcare systems and more than half spend more on debt servicing than education. Rich polluting countries owe low and lower-middle-income countries US$107 trillion in…
Promoting sustainable building practices contributes to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), it has emerged. The UN-Habitat in collaboration with the Green Building Council of Zimbabwe (GBCZ) hosted the awareness and advocacy workshop aimed at promoting sustainable building practices that contribute to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of Zimbabwe highlighting success stories from other countries…
The continent is still not exploiting the full potential of its animal resources, largely because it is failing to fully utilise the opportunities available and address key challenges such as animal feed and health, African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko said in Addis Ababa. The diplomat, who was speaking at the launch of the…
About 67.4 million people in the Horn of Africa are food insecure, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, said in a joint report. This is a rise from 64.8 million at the end of November 2024, the institutions said,…
Zimbabwe Children and Youth Position Paper on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 (2025 – 2035) Prepared by Cinderella Ndlovu and Eric Morgen Moyo Rapporteurs: Linet Ndou, Natalie Gwatirisa, Shamiso Mucha Introduction The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the core of the Paris Agreement and serve a critical role in determining…
Leading pan-African telecom group, AXIAN Telecom is proud to announce that it has officially become a signatory of the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter (HCC). Launched in 2015 by the GSMA, the HCC aims to enhance the preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) during sudden onset emergencies, such as natural disasters. AXIAN Telecom…
Stakeholders from diverse backgrounds are holding a critical consultation meeting in Harare on strengthening Zimbabwe’s climate commitments under nationally determined contributions (NDCs). In his opening remarks read on his behalf by Mr. Lovemore Dhoba, Acting Director of the Climate Change Management Department, the Chief Director of Climate Change and Meteorological Services in the Ministry…
By Reshmi Theckethil (Lead Portfolio, Climate Action, Disaster Risk Reduction, Energy, and Resilience | Sahel Resilience Project Manager, UNDP Sub-Regional Hub for West and Central Africa (www.UNDP.org). Imagine a Sahel region where every household, school, and hospital has access to clean, affordable energy—where renewable power not only serves homes but also drives economic transformation….
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in association with implementing partners, is spearheading waste management and clean energy projects in the Harare Metropolitan Province. Speaking at a steering committee meeting of the project chaired by Engineer Herbert Parichi, the Director of Infrastructure Planning and Environmental Management in the Office of the Minister of State…
The Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife in partnership with SNV and with support from the NDC Partnership through UNOPS implemented a one-year project to enhance the capacities of women, children, and people with disabilities to participate in climate action. It has emerged that the project was successful in amplifying the role of youth,…
Rwanda is set to launch a major irrigation development project in Gisagara District following the signing of a concessional financing agreement with China on Wednesday, January 22. The initiative, dubbed the Giseke Dam and Irrigation Project, is expected to benefit over 915 households by providing irrigation infrastructure to support crop cultivation. Gisagara District, known…
A new era in livestock marketing has dawned through the African Pastoral Markets Development Platform (APMD), which represents a groundbreaking initiative hosted by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). Speaking during the APMD launch, Mohamed Omar, a renowned pastoralist leader, said the platform implementation will reflect the shared commitment to the transformations…
Freetown, Sierra Leone – On 20 January 2025, the Government of Sierra Leone together with its development partners including Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) commissioned the Kassirie Mini-Grid project to supply reliable electricity to previously underserved communities. This solar-powered mini-grid project in Kassirie is the third such project by the Universal Energy Facility, multi-donor…
Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has said the Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Post Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) agenda in Kampala, Uganda signifies a commitment to transforming the African agricultural sector. In a statement read on his behalf by Dr. Anxious Masuka,…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said despite some progress in addressing food insecurity, Africa still faces several challenges and obstacles to the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) including climate change and inadequate funding of the agricultural sector. This came to the fore during an interactive…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Dr. Bright Rwamirama, Uganda’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has underscored the importance of animal protein in food and nutrition security. He was speaking during a Livestock Side event at the Margins of the African Union Heads of States Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Africa Union-led development of a new 10-year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 whose vision is to build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for a healthy and prosperous Africa, is in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063. There were the remarks today by H.E….
