APRM panel reviews Zimbabwe's economic governance

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Panel of Eminent Persons, led by Zimbabwe's lead panel member, Ambassador Aly-El Hefny, has emphasised that its mission in Zimbabwe is not to judge but to learn, share, and document best practices that strengthen accountability, fiscal discipline, and institutional efficiency.

Following a tour of Zimbabwe's provinces, the panel engaged with various stakeholders in Harare to discuss economic governance and management. Ambassador El Hefny said the contributions of ministries, public institutions, and other stakeholders will help foster greater engagement and cooperation among African countries.

"This mission should be understood as a learning and sharing exercise, not as a mechanism for criticism," Ambassador El Hefny said. "It is aimed at enhancing continuous improvement for better governance and the well-being of Zimbabweans and Africans more broadly."

The review focuses on five key objectives under the economic governance and management thematic area, which are considered essential pillars for Zimbabwe's sustainable economic transformation. Among these is the design and implementation of economic policies that promote sustainable development, with the panel seeking to identify achievements, challenges, and innovations while generating actionable recommendations aligned with Zimbabwe's reforms and Africa's Five-Year Plan.

APRM Zimbabwe focal point Ambassador Chimbindi described the review as a self-assessment mission evaluating how Zimbabwe is performing in terms of economic development.

As part of its targeted review, the delegation visited the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) in Manhize, a subsidiary of China's Tsingshan Group. The visit assessed governance systems, operational compliance, and alignment with national development priorities at Zimbabwe's largest steel manufacturing plant.

DISCO Operations Director Wilfred Motsi said the company aims to produce five million tonnes of steel upon completing all phases of production. Currently, in phase one, the plant produces about 600,000 tonnes, surpassing national consumption of 400,000 tonnes. The second phase is expected to increase production to 1.2 million tonnes.

Motsi added that the company is working to integrate with value chain industries, supplying steel billets and pig iron for further processing into products not currently manufactured locally, such as flat sections.

The APRM panel's findings are expected to inform policy implementation and improve institutional efficiency, contributing to Zimbabwe's industrialisation agenda, employment creation, and the government's goal of achieving upper middle-income status.

The Dinson visit marked one of several key engagements with strategic economic institutions during the panel's ongoing targeted review of economic governance and management in Zimbabwe.