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EU bankrolls govt's new US$80m project
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The European Union (EU) is poised to sign an US$80 million project with the Zimbabwean government, with further details expected to be unveiled next week. This announcement was made by Jobst von Kirchmann, the EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, during a press briefing on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Development Partners Dialogue Forum held in Harare.
Ambassador von Kirchmann emphasized the importance of fostering close cooperation between Zimbabwe and the European bloc to enhance national and economic development. He noted that discussions regarding various developmental programs had taken place during the meeting, highlighting the EU's commitment to supporting Zimbabwe's growth.
"For the European Union, I was in a position to announce a new programme of about US$80 million, which we are going to sign next week with the Minister of Finance," he stated. He further underscored the necessity of collaboration between the EU, its member states, and the Zimbabwean government across various ministries to ensure the success of initiatives related to agriculture, biodiversity, resilience, and devolution.
Von Kirchmann praised the government's ongoing efforts to engage with development partners and its commitment to addressing national debt and arrears. He expressed optimism about the EU's role in supporting the government's National Development Strategy 1 and its future plans for National Development Strategy 2, which is currently under development.
"We stand ready to have that in the next couple of months and we hope we can give a good input to that discussion," he added, highlighting the EU's willingness to contribute to Zimbabwe's strategic planning.
The ambassador also discussed the significance of the area clearance and debt resolution processes, stating, "We want Zimbabwe to succeed in that process, because potentially it gives the country access to sovereign lending and, therefore, it is an important factor in making Vision 2030 a reality."
As Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its ties with international partners, the upcoming signing of the EU project signifies a potential boost to the country's economic recovery and development efforts.
Ambassador von Kirchmann emphasized the importance of fostering close cooperation between Zimbabwe and the European bloc to enhance national and economic development. He noted that discussions regarding various developmental programs had taken place during the meeting, highlighting the EU's commitment to supporting Zimbabwe's growth.
"For the European Union, I was in a position to announce a new programme of about US$80 million, which we are going to sign next week with the Minister of Finance," he stated. He further underscored the necessity of collaboration between the EU, its member states, and the Zimbabwean government across various ministries to ensure the success of initiatives related to agriculture, biodiversity, resilience, and devolution.
"We stand ready to have that in the next couple of months and we hope we can give a good input to that discussion," he added, highlighting the EU's willingness to contribute to Zimbabwe's strategic planning.
The ambassador also discussed the significance of the area clearance and debt resolution processes, stating, "We want Zimbabwe to succeed in that process, because potentially it gives the country access to sovereign lending and, therefore, it is an important factor in making Vision 2030 a reality."
As Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its ties with international partners, the upcoming signing of the EU project signifies a potential boost to the country's economic recovery and development efforts.
Source - newsday
