Harare, (New Ziana) -There is need for stakeholders to harmonise the collection of data in order to minimise duplication of efforts as well as improve efficiency and resource allocation, an expert has said.
Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat) director general Tafadzwa Bandama said this on Tuesday in a speech read on his behalf by the director of statistical services, Fadzayi Ndlovu, at the Data for Development and Innovation (DFDI) Technical Working Group second quarter meeting held in Harare.
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) partnered with the United Nations (UN) in organising the meeting.
The DFDI Technical Working Group was established with the primary objective of coordinating support for activities aimed at enhancing the availability and utilization of data in the country.
“The country is currently preparing for implementing its National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS IV) 2026-2030, evaluating, modernisation of statistical systems in an evolving data ecosystem, and closing data gaps for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and preparing for the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2) – hence the FDFI technical group is essential in facilitating coordinated data efforts,” said Bandama.
“The ever-changing and challenging environment requires more innovation in monitoring the country’s and regional development goals commitments. That is why we established a joint work plan for data collection and utilisation activities, bringing together technical expertise from various stakeholders for a harmonised approach to data collection,” he added.
UNFPA Zimbabwe deputy representative Aboubakar Cisse said the DFDI platform remains a cornerstone for coordination, statistical transformation, and evidence-informed development.
“The DFDI TWG has evolved into a truly multi-sectoral platform, bringing together government ministries, UN agencies, development partners, private sector innovators, academia, and civil society stakeholders. This platform is pivotal in harmonizing our data efforts, reducing duplication, and addressing the data gaps that influence the monitoring of national priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Development Strategy frameworks,” she said.
She also challenged stakeholders to establish concrete priorities for the 2026 data agenda, ensuring alignment with the evolving national planning landscape under NDS2 and global goals.
Apart from reviewing progress and updates on the 2025 Action Points, the technical working group consolidated the 2026 DFDI Joint Workplan.
Zimbabwe has made significant progress in enhancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) data availability, with 85.5 percent of the prioritised indicators reported as having data.
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