Harare, (New Ziana) – The African Development Bank (AfDB) is committed to supporting the Zimbabwe arrears clearance and debt resolution process, describing dialogue and reform as essential to the economic recovery of the country, a senior official has said.
AfDB Officer-in-Charge for Zimbabwe Webster Gondo said this at the launch of the Zimbabwe Arrears Clearance Dialogue Enhancement Project (ZACDEP) in Harare on Monday.
He commended the government for continuing to engage with creditors and development partners, saying ongoing reforms had laid a solid foundation for resolving the debt challenges.
ZACDEP is a governance and institutional strengthening initiative designed to improve the ability of the country to coordinate and sustain dialogue among key stakeholders involved in implementing the national arrears clearance and debt resolution roadmap.
It succeeds the Support for Arrears Clearance and Governance Enhancement (SACAGE) Project by expanding collaboration between the government, creditors, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.
The project also supports reforms aimed at strengthening macroeconomic stability, public debt management, governance, anti-corruption efforts, land tenure, and compensation for former farm owners, all considered critical to unlocking the country’s economic recovery.
“The launch of the ZACDEP is taking place at an opportune time. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Monitored Program (SMP) agreed on between the government of Zimbabwe and the Fund in April 2026 is under implementation. The first review of the SMP has been successfully concluded hence the need for enhanced dialogue and technical assistance on arrears clearance.
“The bank remains committed to supporting Zimbabwe’s arrears clearance and debt resolution through the Structured Dialogue Platform (SDP) and its central pin strategy – economic growth, governance and land and compensation for former farm owners. We commend the Government for engaging creditors and stakeholders, and for undertaking bold but necessary reforms critical to economic recovery,” he said.
Gondo urged all stakeholders to actively support implementation of the project, stressing that broad participation would be essential to achieving its intended outcomes.
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion (MOFEDIP) will oversee implementation of the initiative, which seeks to strengthen institutional capacity for coordinating dialogue and delivering reforms linked to the debt resolution agenda.
“The bank realises that building local consensus through engagement with state institutions, civil society, and the private sector cannot be overemphasized. All have an important role to play. To ensure that the project achieves its development objectives and complies with covenants, the role of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) in providing oversight is key.
“Similarly, the continuous engagement between Government and its creditors together with the civil society, and the private sector through the sector working groups on economic growth, governance and land and compensation of former farm owners provides an opportunity to reach consensus on reform implementation critical to achievement of National Development Strategy-2 (NDS-2) priorities and targets,” he said.
The primary objective of the ZACDEP is to strengthen stakeholder engagement and to build consensus around the reforms needed to implement Zimbabwe’s arrears clearance and debt resolution roadmap.
It also seeks to support complementary macroeconomic reforms while improving public debt management, governance systems, land administration, and institutional oversight to create conditions for long-term economic stability.
New Ziana
