President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) reaffirms the country’s commitment to good governance, transparency, sustainable development and African-led solutions to continental challenges.
Speaking during the launch ceremony in Harare, yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s participation in the mechanism reflects its dedication to the aspirations of Agenda 2063, Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), all of which are aimed at transforming the country into an upper middle-income economy.
“Today’s ceremony marks an important landmark in Zimbabwe’s journey under the African Peer Review Mechanism.
This Forum is a uniquely African home-grown initiative that embodies Africa’s commitment to mutual accountability, self-assessment as well as continuous improvement in governance and development,” he said.
Zimbabwe voluntarily acceded to the APRM in February 2020 and has since undergone a targeted review process under the theme “Economic Governance and Management.”
President Mnangagwa noted that the country received its targeted review report during the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in February this year.
He said Government had already developed a National Programme of Action Matrix to implement the recommendations arising from the review process.
“The acceptance by my Administration to be reviewed amplifies our pledge to the citizenry that we are a people-centred Government. Their voices matter, hence our institutions and policies are open to analysis and improvement,” said President Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa urged all Zimbabweans, including Government ministries, civil society organisations, academia, the private sector and ordinary citizens, to actively participate in APRM processes.
“The APRM is not for Government alone, but for every Zimbabwean. The mechanism is a vital tool for inclusive growth and sustainable socio-economic development,” he said.
President Mnangagwa further reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to Pan-Africanism, regional integration and economic sovereignty, stressing that Africa must chart its own development trajectory.
“The days of running with the agenda and narratives set elsewhere, in Western capitals are over. We are masters of our own destiny; the realisation of the Zimbabwe we all want is in our hands.
The participation in the APRM will strengthen national institutions, deepen reforms and entrench governance principles that promote efficiency, fairness and excellence,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira, hailed President Mnangagwa’s transformative leadership, describing it as a governance model that has been validated by the African Union through Zimbabwe’s successful APRM review.
“His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s transformative leadership has become a model that has been validated by the African Union. Sustainable development is built by empowered citizens rooted in heritage, innovation and accountability.
Zimbabwe’s successful APRM review, which recorded distinctions across the majority of governance indicators, demonstrates the country’s confidence in peer accountability and its commitment to sovereign development, transparency and African-led solutions,” he added
Prof. Murwira concluded by saying, “Zimbabwe’s participation in the mechanism sends a strong message that African countries can achieve sustainable development through home-grown governance systems and strengthened continental cooperation,”
The launch of the APRM marks another step in Zimbabwe’s efforts to enhance governance, accelerate socio-economic transformation and contribute to Africa’s collective development agenda under Agenda 2063.
