UN committed to addressing climate change in Southern Africa

Writes Sirak Gebrehiwot 28 November 2024, Victoria Falls – At the Partner and Donor Roundtable Discussion on the 5th session of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Ministers for Disaster Risk, Mr. Edward Kallon, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Zimbabwe, delivered a compelling message on the urgent needs arising from the El…

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Stakeholders Come Together to Act Against Gender-Based Violence

Writes Sirak Gebrehiwot 27 November 2024, Mzingwane – The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence was launched today under the global theme “Come Together, Act Now.” The event was led by the Honorable Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and Dr. Evelyn Ndlovu, Minister of State for Matabeleland…

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UNESCO supports development of learner guides for climate change into Zimbabwe school curriculum

Writes Chimeno Azriel In an endeavor to strengthen climate change education in Zimbabwe, UNESCO is supporting the Ministry of Primary and Secondary(MoPSE) to develop learner guides for primary schools’ curricula to strengthen climate change, disaster risk reduction, and education for sustainable development.   This came to the fore during a workshop that kicked off on…

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From the Broadcasting Studio to the Workshop: UNDP Promoting Disability Inclusion

In a remarkable blend of advocacy and broadcasting, Ian Vambe, a 29-year-old presenter with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s Classic 263 Radio, is championing the rights of persons with disabilities. Through his unique role in the media, Ian is breaking barriers and amplifying the voices of those often overlooked.   Ian has been a central figure…

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NetOne Brings Christmas Cheer to Gokwe Elderly with Food Hamper Distribution

In a demonstration of corporate social responsibility, NetOne, Zimbabwe’s state-owned mobile network operator, distributed over 100 food hampers to elderly residents in the Masala area of Gokwe, supporting the government’s commitment to leaving no one behind in pursuit of Vision 2030. Contacted for comment after the handover ceremony, NetOne Group Chief Executive Officer Engineer Raphael…

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Human interest stories spur sustainable development: Fatou Lo

Fatou Lo, the UN Women Representative and Chairperson of the United Nations Communication Group (UNCG) for Zimbabwe has urged the media to focus on human interest stories in their coverage to promote sustainable development.   She was addressing a UN-Media Seminar on Development Reporting on 21 November 2024 in Masvingo after the journalists had concluded…

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2024 NetOne Albun Honde Valley Marathon unites people, showcases tourism tapestry

The 2024 NetOne Albun Honde Valley Marathon has become a beacon of hope, unity, and purpose, embodying the mobile telephony giant’s commitment to promoting tourism, fostering rural development, and raising awareness about the critical issues of global warming and environmental preservation.   These were the sentiments of Engineer Raphael Mushanawani, the NetOne Group Chief Executive…

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Zimbabwe’s Groundbreaking CATH-LAB Revolutionises Heart Care

…Minimal Invasive Heart Procedures Now Offered Locally Writes Wendy Olivier  Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector has witnessed a major leap forward with the launch of a state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (CATH-LAB), setting new standards for heart disease diagnosis, treatment, and care. Situated at the Trauma Centre, Borrowdale Hospital in Harare, this cutting-edge facility brings hope to many…

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Speaker Mudenda hailed for promoting regional interests

The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) Executive Committee (EXCO) has hailed the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, and the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Rt. Hon. Nelly Mutti, for championing the interests of the SADC Region on the global stage and advancing Parliamentary…

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Zimbabwean Innovator shares an inspiring story at COP29

Writes Reginald Tapfumaneyi   Baku, Azerbaijan – Zimbabwean Innovator, Simbarashe Gwenzi, who is currently attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan representing the country and his organization YEC Fund, shared an inspiring story of his journey. Gwenzi delivered his presentation during the sidelines of the COP29, at an event titled Youth-Driven Sustainable Cities:…

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Africa’s Panel of the Future amplifies youth priorities at a High-Level Town Hall

Africa’s Panel of the Future members participated at a High-Level Intergenerational Youth Town Hall at the 3-day Shape Africa Summit that took place from 14 to 16 November 2024, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 2024 Shape Africa Summit, themed “Upskilling for Africa’s Development,”  was convened this Africa Youth Month by…

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UN interventions result in significant achievement in Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure

The UNDP commissioned the new NatPharm warehouse in Masvingo and 178 pharmacy stores marking a significant achievement in Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure. This project, supported by the Global Fund and UNDP in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, is part of the larger Resilient Systems Strengthening for Health (RSSH) initiative aimed at improving healthcare delivery across…

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Drought mitigation in Masvingo Province: UN and partners support irrigation schemes

Following the negative impact of the El-Nino-induced drought that affected Southern Africa, Zimbabwe included, the United Nations (UN) country team is supporting smallholder farmers in irrigation schemes in Masvingo Province.   One such initiative is the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme located in Masvingo District which is one of the oldest irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe. The scheme…

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Smallholder farmers’ savings and lending groups providing lifeline to children’s education

“I dropped out of school just after starting my secondary level, there was no point – where was I going to get school fees? What about exam registration fees? Dropping out to help my mother work and to take care of my younger siblings was my option”, said Ashley Marime clenching her jaw, clearly trying…

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Livestock farming boosts Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector

Livestock farming is vital in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector because it boosts the country’s economy, food security, and rural livelihoods. Farmers, agricultural service providers, and other actors in the livestock value chain rely on livestock for employment and revenue.   In a speech read on behalf of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairperson in the Ministry of…

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UN helps Zimbabwe sustain food and nutrition security: Hon Chadzamira

The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province, Hon Ezra Chadzamira, has said Zimbabwe has managed to sustain food and nutrition security through United Nations Agencies’ support in the country.   He made the remarks in Masvingo today at a workshop by the United Nations in Zimbabwe to build partnerships and…

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CAMFED Learner Guide Program supporting learners to stay and perform well in school

Background   Mentoring is a crucial student support service that is aimed at helping individuals discover and develop their educational, vocational, and psychological potentials and thereby achieve an optimal level of personal happiness and social usefulness. To effectively meet the needs of all learners, it is essential that the foundation of mentoring is both systematic…

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COP29: Better take no deal as a good deal for a bad deal

COP29 is attempting to replace the supposedly “met” political target of $100 billion with a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance amid tactics of filibustering. Is Africa ready for calls of radical approaches and decisions?   By Martha Bekele, Co-founder and Head of Financing at DevTransform; And Wellington Madumira, Coordinator for Climate Action…

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ICT Holiday Programs Launched For Children

Innovative ICT Training Program Launches at Borrowdale Methodist Church

HARARE, ZIMBABWE  – Exciting news! Innovative ICT training sessions for children are launching today at Borrowdale Methodist Church in Harare, delivered by local EduTech startup Teach Me Too. This initiative is part of the church’s CSR program, providing a safe environment for kids to explore their creativity and interests while steering them away from harmful…

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UN strengthens alliances with the media and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe

The United Nations in Zimbabwe is strengthening alliances with the media and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 goals.   This was revealed by His Excellency Edward Kallon, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in his remarks at the UN-Media Seminar on Development…

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NetOne Brings Christmas Joy to Matthew Rusike Children’s Home

In a heartwarming demonstration of corporate social responsibility, Zimbabwe’s leading mobile network operator NetOne is set to bring festive cheer to Matthew Rusike Children’s Home in Mzingwane, Matabeleland South Province, through their Christmas Cheers initiative. The event, which will see NetOne executives and team members spending a full day with orphaned children at the facility,…

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COP29: Climate finance negotiations come to a standstill

Wellington Madumira, the National Coordinator of Climate Action Network (CAN) Zimbabwe has said as we reach the midpoint of COP29, it is deeply disturbing to witness the climate finance negotiations come to a standstill. He said developed nations continue to display a disturbing level of apathy, viewing vital climate finance as mere investments rather than…

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Leaders Commit to Creating Pathways for Transformative Education, Skill Development for Children in Southern Africa

Writes Sirak Gebrehiwot 16 November 2024, Victoria Falls – A historic gathering of seven Southern African leaders, international representatives, over 7000 children, and youth took place at Baobab Primary School in the resort town of Victoria Falls to commemorate regional World Children’s Day. The event, attended by dignitaries from across the southern Africa region, emphasized…

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Zimbabwe Parliament at COP29: Parliamentary involvement critical in climate change dialogue

Parliamentary involvement is critical in the climate change dialogue and to demonstrate this, the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda is leading the legislative delegation from the Southern African country in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the parliamentary meeting on the occasion of COP29.   The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Advocate J.F.N Mudenda,…

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ZIMSOFF exchange visits help farmers improve agro-ecological practices

Writes Lloyd Rabaya  Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’ Forum (ZIMSOFF)’s recent exchange visit in Shashe, Masvingo, has proved to be of great importance to farmers as they taught each other various agroecology elements. During the two-day visit, farmers had the opportunity to watch and learn from other practicing farmers on best sustainable practices that include water…

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The Imperative of Upholding Climate Agreements for Local Communities and LMICs

Writes Ebrima Jarra, Soil Scientist and Civil Actor from The Gambia A Path Toward Equitable and Sustainable Development by “The Soil Solution” (NGO) Abstract As climate change accelerates, its impacts disproportionately burden local communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These communities, often with minimal contributions to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, face severe challenges,…

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Climate change threatens Africa’s developmental gains

African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Ambassador Josefa Correia Sacko reaffirmed in Baku, Azerbaijan, that climate change poses a threat to Africa’s economies and jeopardises the continent’s developmental gains.   Amb Josefa Sacko, who was speaking at the United Nations event on Africa’s climate achievements and the importance of…

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USAID supports youth innovation programmes in Zimbabwe

Writes Wallace Mawire The Youth Engagement for Accountability in Zimbabwe (YEAZ) Project Flexible Initiatives to Support Youth Innovations (YEAQZ)’s Explosion! Innovators Pitch Deck held on November 8, 2024, in Harare, Zimbabwe seeks to enhance youth participation in sustainable community leadership, resource governance, and social accountability. The project has capacitated partners to use new and creative…

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Gwevedzi Redefined to represent Zimbabwe in Pan-African Music Project “East Meets South”

Fresh off a rebranding and the introduction of a new soulful sound, Zimbabwe’s beloved Afro-acoustic group, Gwevedzi Redefined, is set to make waves on the international stage as part of a new Pan-African music project, East Meets South. This unique collaboration features artists from across Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda,…

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Honour commitment to eliminate cholera by 2028: CWGH urges government

Writes Community Working Group on Health (CWGH)   The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) commends the government for taking bold and tangible measures to address major public health challenges through its supreme law, the Constitution, the Public Health Act, and indeed other legal and policy frameworks. There have also been corresponding structural arrangements in…

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Jacob Mutisi

Zimbabwe needs an Independent Complaints Commission now

Writes Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi   The recent bribery scandal involving two police officers in Mabvuku, Harare, has once again highlighted the urgent need for reform within Zimbabwe’s law enforcement agencies. This incident is emblematic of a broader pattern of misconduct that has plagued the police and military, raising serious concerns about accountability and public…

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FAO workshop focuses on supporting agri-food system transformation in Southern Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subregional Office for Southern Africa convened a Multidisciplinary Team meeting to discuss and agree on how FAO can better support agrifood system transformation in Southern African countries.   The meeting was held today 11 November 2024 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe.  …

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COP29: A test of wealthy countries’ commitment to securing a liveable planet

OWN CORRESPONDENT As COP29 opens in Baku, Azerbaijan, tomorrow, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice, Teresa Anderson, says: “Frontline countries who have done almost nothing to cause the problem are being pushed deeper into debt by the climate crisis. Yet they are the ones getting stuck with an escalating climate bill as they bear…

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Rural women take the lead in Zimbabwe’s food sovereignty

Writes Lloyd Rabaya With the sharp voices of the Zvamahande Primary School pupils cutting through the air echoing the food sovereignty message with their poems, the farmers from various provinces who were gathered at Shashe Agroecology School celebrating the International Day of Rural Women, which was preceded by International Food Sovereignty  Day, lauded and ululated…

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The role of baseline studies in anchoring local solutions and resilience

Writes Charles Dhewa   In addition to unearthing community resilience and coping mechanisms, baseline studies can be good at identifying relevant partners and local expertise. A lot of market infrastructure in many African countries has remained unused because construction has not been adequately informed by baseline studies. The absence of baseline data also leads to…

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COP16 Biodiversity Summit: Delayed crucial agreements may hamper Global Biodiversity Framework implementation

Dr. Christian K. Tiambo, Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) – International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)   Progress at COP16   The “People’s COP”, COP16 summit concluded on the 2nd of November in Cali, in the Valle del Pacífico Event Center, the second largest and most modern event space in Colombia and the…

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Addressing emerging and legacy diseases: Africa needs locally manufactured vaccines

Writes Sakhile Khaweka   Prioritizing local vaccine manufacturing, distribution, and rollout remains crucial to addressing some of the challenges that are faced by the African continent’s health systems. Making sure that vulnerable communities have access to life-saving health innovations is not only going to ensure that millions of people live longer but will also yield…

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Conference spotlights strategies to eliminate hunger by 2025

A high-level political forum on global action against hunger is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with stakeholders seeking to achieve this goal, importantly in Africa where a large proportion of the population is food insecure annually and increasingly goes hungry.   These were the sentiments for His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,…

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PARM Stories Challenge: Winners speak at 20th CAADP PP, 15th ADFNS

The winners of the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) Stories Challenge were sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to attend the commemoration of the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS), the 20th edition of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) and the associated Malabo…

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United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework aligns with NDS1

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) aimed at achieving economic growth and stability, food and nutrition security, structural transformation, and value chains among many common priorities. These were the sentiments of Mr. Spencer Dube, the Acting Chief Director of Political Affairs in the Ministry of…

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NetOne, Salutem Launch Dollar-a-Month Medical Cover

NetOne, Zimbabwe’s state-owned mobile network operator, has partnered with Salutem International Medical Fund to launch an innovative healthcare product aimed at increasing access to primary healthcare services across the country. The Salutem One Health product, accessible through NetOne’s mobile money platform OneMoney, offers essential medical coverage for just US$1 per month. Speaking at the launch…

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Religious Freedom Violation and Intolerance Spark International Controversy

South Korean local government cancels international event with 30,000 participants from 78 countries, causing international damage   On October 29th, an administrative decision by a South Korean government agency sparked international controversy, raising concerns about religious freedom and causing substantial financial loss.   The “Religious Leaders Forum and Graduation Ceremony,” a joint initiative by two…

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