Zimbabwe’s Civil Society Calls For Structured Role in Development Programmes

Eyerusalem Fasika, the Bank’s Country Manager for Zimbabwe, told participants that sustainable development depends on meaningful involvement from the people it is intended to serve.

Civil society organisations in Zimbabwe are calling for a more structured role in development programmes following the African Development Bank Group's first Civil Society Open Day in the country. Held in Harare on 27 August 2026, the event brought together 61 representatives from government, civil society, development partners and the Bank to discuss how closer cooperation could make projects more responsive to people's needs.

The discussions connected Zimbabwe's development priorities with practical questions about participation, funding and accountability, giving civil society representatives space to share community perspectives and explore partnership opportunities. Participants reviewed Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy 2 for 2026–2030, the Bank's Country Brief and the institution's wider priorities for supporting Africa's development.

Giving Communities a Voice in Development Decisions

Eyerusalem Fasika, the Bank's Country Manager for Zimbabwe, told participants that sustainable development depends on meaningful involvement from the people it is intended to serve. She described civil society organisations as advocates for citizens, partners in delivering programmes and contributors to transparency and accountability, placing their role at the heart of effective development work.

Fasika presented the Open Day as an opportunity to strengthen a relationship built on listening, trust, shared responsibility and results. The Bank holds these events across its regional member countries to help civil society organisations understand its activities, explore cooperation and provide feedback on projects receiving its support.

Tawanda Zimhunga, Chief Director at the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, welcomed the opportunity for candid discussions among government, civil society and development partners. Representing the ministry's Permanent Secretary, he emphasised the importance of community perspectives in implementing National Development Strategy 2 and ensuring that programmes deliver benefits across the country.

Connecting National Priorities With a $166 Million Portfolio

The Bank's active portfolio in Zimbabwe comprised 18 operations worth approximately $166 million as of July 2026, providing a substantial basis for discussions about stronger cooperation. Its partnership with the country covers governance and accountability, agriculture and climate resilience, infrastructure, energy and water, private sector development, economic opportunities for young people and women, and arrears clearance and debt resolution.

Participants explored the Bank's Four Cardinal Points: expanding access to capital, rebuilding Africa's financial sovereignty, harnessing the demographic dividend, and building climate-resilient infrastructure and value addition. These priorities framed conversations about how national plans and Bank-supported investments could connect more closely with the experiences and needs of communities.

Zeneb Touré, Manager of the Bank's Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, highlighted the value of civil society organisations' local presence and knowledge across development sectors. She said their experience and proximity to communities could help make Bank-financed operations more inclusive and effective, reinforcing the case for deeper cooperation at country level.

Seeking Clearer Roles and Access to Funding

Civil society participation was discussed across the full project cycle, from shaping country strategies and designing projects to supporting implementation, monitoring and evaluation. This approach would create opportunities for organisations to contribute at several stages, allowing community knowledge to inform project decisions and assessments of results.

Funding discussions covered trust funds, calls for proposals and project-based partnerships, alongside a proposed dedicated financing mechanism for civil society organisations. These conversations allowed participants to examine potential routes to support, with the dedicated mechanism remaining a proposal.

Civil society representatives welcomed the Open Day and called for more structured involvement in Bank-supported programmes. Their response highlighted a practical priority for future cooperation: creating clearer opportunities for organisations to contribute their expertise and help ensure that development investments reflect the needs of the people they serve.