Zimbabwe approves scheme to protect workers in diaspora

The Government has approved the Zimbabwe Global Skills Partnership Scheme (ZGSPS), a landmark initiative aimed at protecting the rights and improving the welfare of Zimbabweans working in the diaspora while ensuring their skills contribute to national development.

Skills Audit and Development Ministry Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Rudo Chitiga, announced the development during the Future Workforce Dialogue jointly hosted by Financial Markets Indaba and Victoria Falls Nominees in Harare on Friday.

Under the ZGSPS, Zimbabwe will enter into formal bilateral agreements with host countries to guarantee legal protection, fair working conditions, and welfare support for Zimbabwean professionals employed abroad.

Ambassador Chitiga said the scheme will initially focus on countries where Zimbabweans are already in high demand — particularly in the medical and technical sectors — before expanding to other fields.

"Zimbabwe has been instrumental in deploying excess staff to markets that require labour. We are now formalising this process by signing agreements with host governments to ensure our citizens are protected when they go abroad," she said.
"This will prevent people from leaving informally and ending up in unsafe working environments."

She added that the new framework would also require employers abroad to facilitate skills transfer by allowing Zimbabwean workers to periodically return home to train their counterparts in local industries.

"Beyond remittances, we want the return in skills. Employers will be encouraged to bring our people back home during holidays or short breaks to teach new skills and strengthen local capacity," Ambassador Chitiga said.

The initiative comes amid concerns over skills flight in critical sectors such as healthcare, engineering, and transportation. Ambassador Chitiga cited the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and the Ministry of Health as examples of institutions that have trained thousands of workers now employed abroad without reciprocal benefits to the country.

She said the ZGSPS will help ensure that Zimbabwe gains value from its investment in human capital by linking diaspora professionals to domestic skills development programmes.

Ambassador Chitiga also urged a shift towards practical and technical education, noting that an overemphasis on theoretical qualifications had left the country with a shortage of skilled artisans.

"We need to focus more on practical skills that directly drive development. Having many degrees without matching technical ability has created a gap in areas that need hands-on expertise," she said.

The Future Workforce Dialogue, attended by experts from government, academia, and industry, explored strategies to close Zimbabwe's skills gap, boost local talent retention, and align workforce development with global economic trends.

The event was also attended by Memory Nguwi, the founder and managing Consultant of Industrial Psychology Consultants; Dr Reneth Mano, an applied development economist; Dr Nancy Kangwa, the deputy librarian at the Women's University in Africa; Mr Bongai Zamchiya, a restaurateur; Jabulani Chibaya, a Data and AI specialist; Tariro Mutonhori, talent acquisition director at Zimworx; Dr Shepherd Murebwa, chief executive of the Imbahub Empowerment Institute and founder of the Institute of Social Development Practices; and Mrs Petronella Muungani, founder of the Institute of Social Development Practices.