Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere addresses the media during a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday.
Cabinet considered and adopted the Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Strategy for Zimbabwe (2023 – 2025), which was presented by Honourable Vice President Dr CGDN Chiwenga, as chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Food Security and Nutrition.
The nation is being informed that the Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Strategy for Zimbabwe seeks to achieve accelerated, high, inclusive, broad-based and sustainable economic growth as well as socio-economic transformation and development. It also aims to promote and ensure adequate food and nutrition security for all the people in Zimbabwe. The strategy is a culmination of wide and extensive consultations with stakeholders inclusive of citizens and Cooperating Partners.
The nation is being advised that the strategy will adopt a multi-sectoral approach to ensure partnerships and coordination among the following key sectors: agriculture; education; health and child care; local government; social services; and women and gender.
The coordination mechanism will assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of comprehensive sector strategies, while creating an enabling environment for the realization of food and nutrition security at individual, household, community and national level.
The strategy will operationalise the following National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) key result areas: policy analysis and advocacy; agriculture and food security; social protection; food safety, quality and standards; nutrition security; food and nutrition information; as well as enhancing and strengthening capacities for food and nutrition security.
The nation is further being informed that the strategy will be implemented through multi-sectoral decentralised structures in order to attain the set objectives. Local Development Councils will play a critical role in coordinating implementation of the strategy, while the lead sectors will be fully accountable for the attainment of the set goals.
The strategy for Zimbabwe is envisaged to achieve the following impacts: promotion of closer coordination and alignment of actions in the field and more efficient use of resources; strengthening collaborative action among Government sectors; efficient monitoring of the implementation of food and nutrition strategies; and the effective reduction of food insecurity and malnutrition.
The strategy is designed to build food and nutrition resilience for communities, culminating in improved livelihoods, visible development, productivity and economic growth as the country marches towards attaining Vision 2030.
REPORT BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Cabinet received a report on drug and substance abuse as presented by the chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Minister of Defence, Honourable OCZ Muchinguri-Kashiri.
The nation is being informed that Government continues to heighten the fight against illegal inflows of illicit drugs, substances and alcohol throughout the country.
A total of 486 (451 male and 35 female) offenders were arrested. Out of the 486 offenders, 20 were suppliers who were referred to court, whilst 466 were drug users who paid deposit fines. Raids were conducted during the period under review and drugs were confiscated.
Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that the Liquor Licensing Board conducted alcohol outlets compliance inspections in Epworth.
A total of 85 premises were inspected and of these 15 were operating without licenses. The unlicensed cases were referred to the police Licensing Inspectorate Department for further management.
The nation is advised that the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Liquor Licensing Board are working together on the investigations, clearance, non-clearance classification, banning and licencing of new alcoholic drinks in the market, including the Kambucha drink beverage.
Cabinet advises that primary, higher and tertiary education institutions carried out drug and substance abuse awareness campaigns to students.
Weekly awareness campaigns continue to be a priority, and the collective campaigns in the primary education level has reached 410 473 learners (194 398 male and 216 075 female).
As a behaviour change intervention, the education sector continues to facilitate students to interact with offenders in a bid to educate them on the danger of abusing drugs and substances and the effects thereof. Community outreaches are being carried out through information, education and communication materials.
Cabinet advises that the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development had reached a total of 2 729 people with drug and substance abuse information through its community empowerment programmes, projects and meetings during the week.
In a bid to reduce drug abuse, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training had submitted 188 projects to Empower Bank for funding. Short term loans have been introduced and clients are now accessing this facility without collateral security. Sports galas are an effective way of reaching youths as they provide an enabling environment and platform to raise awareness on drug and substance abuse.
Furthermore, most churches have mainstreamed drug and substance abuse in their religious activities. Cabinet further wishes to inform the nation that 279 (233 male and 46 female) patients received drug rehabilitation services inclusive of treatment, medical detoxification and rehabilitation services to all referred and walk-in clients.
A total number of 53 clinical health personnel and 57 community-based health workers, school health coordinators, peer support champions in schools and universities were trained on mental health, recovery and community inclusion.
PROPOSED 3RD 100-DAY CYCLE PROJECTS FOR 2023
Cabinet considered and approved the priority projects for the third 100-Day Cycle of 2023 and the reporting schedule, as presented by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Honourable L Matuke.
The nation is being informed that 158 projects were submitted by 23 ministries, including the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), for implementation during the 3rd 100-Day Cycle running from 11 September 2023 to 19 December 2023.
A total of 124 projects are on-going, while 34 are new. All the projects are citizen-centric with high impact and low risk, and were budgeted for in order to facilitate rapid implementation.
The infrastructure and utilities; and the devolution and decentralisation thematic areas provide the highest number of projects, and play a crucial role in the country’s socio-economic development trajectory.
The disaggregation of projects according to province is as follows:
PROVINCE TOTAL
Harare Metropolitan 32
Matabeleland North 23
Mashonaland West 22
Manicaland 25
Midlands 14
Mashonaland Central 13
Masvingo 25
Mashonaland East 16
Matabeleland South 22
Bulawayo Metropolitan 8
TOTAL 200
The nation is also being advised that the projects are replicated in more than one province.
UPDATE ON THE CHOLERA OUTBREAK RESPONSE
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Hon. Douglas Mombeshora updated Cabinet on the Cholera outbreak response.
Cabinet advises that as at 21 October 2023, Zimbabwe’s cumulative suspected cholera cases were 5 338 with 5 090 recoveries. Manicaland Province and Harare Province contributed the highest number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe, having reported 2 524 and 1 654 cumulative cholera cases, respectively by 21st October, 2023.
Cabinet advises that poor sanitation and low safe water coverage had driven the cholera outbreak, especially in the Harare Metropolitan Province.
Twelve boreholes were drilled in Buhera through a borehole drilling project under the Ministry of Health and Child Care. Cabinet reports that health education on cholera prevention and control measures, including hygiene promotion, is ongoing in provinces. Health educators in affected communities have been trained to also facilitate surveillance and risk communication.
Door-to-door cholera campaigns are being made in the affected provinces.
Cabinet further reiterated additional measures as follows:
a) that all gatherings in cholera-affected areas be supervised in order to ensure adequate clean water and sanitation provision;
b) that all burial be supervised, regardless of the cause of death in all cholera-affected areas to reduce transmission; and
c) that public health measures be enforced in all communities reporting cholera cases.
20TH EDITION OF THE AFRICA-NORDIC FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTERS MEETING: ALGIERS, ALGERIA
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Dr Fredrick Shava, briefed Cabinet on the Africa-Nordic Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting held in Algiers, Algeria from 16 to 18 October, 2023.
The nation is being informed that the ministerial meeting focused on themes relevant to cooperation and partnerships involving Africa and Nordic countries.
On skills development and equitable quality education, the ministers agreed to strengthen Africa-Nordic cooperation in the field of education.
In addition, most African countries preferred trade and investment over aid, and requested their Nordic counterparts to adjust their policies on Africa accordingly.
The ministers called for the urgent reform of the United Nations Security Council, while the Nordic countries unanimously agreed to support Africa in its quest for permanent United Nations Security Council membership.
REPORT ON THE 4TH Türkiye-AFRICA BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC FORUM: ISTANBUL, TURKIYE: 12 TO 13 OCTOBER, 2023
Cabinet considered the report on the 4th TürkiyeAfrica Business and Economic Forum held in Istanbul from 12 to 13 October as presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon Dr FM Shava.
The nation is informed that the theme of the 4th Turkiye –Africa Business and Economic Forum was “Addressing Challenges; Unlocking Opportunities, Building Stronger Turkiye–Africa Economic Partnerships”.
The forum was divided into the following segments: Ministerial session; nine panel sessions; business to business; government to government sessions; and the closing session. In the meetings, Zimbabwe had highlighted the need to raise the current trade between the two countries from US$38 million to US$100 million.
Zimbabwe’s desire to tap into Turkish expertise in areas that include agro-processing, textiles, health, energy and infrastructure development was also emphasised.
The Turkish representative had indicated the need for Turkish Airlines to fly into Zimbabwe by connecting through existing routes that include Dar-es-Salaam-Lusaka and Johannesburg-Maputo.