National Development Strategy (2021-2025)
National Development Strategy (NDS) is a five-year national strategic programme launched by the Government of Zimbabwe to bolster infrastructure projects from 2021-2025 deemed crucial for the attainment of an upper middle income status by 2030.[1]
Background
The NDS was launched in September 2020 coinciding with the preparations for the 2021 National Budget and will replace the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), a two-year economic blueprint launched in October 2018 which ran its course until December 2020. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said: “Pursuant to this and in line with Vision 2030, the end of the TSP marks the beginning of the first 5-year National Development Strategy (NDS1) — (2021-2025); and the second 5-year National Development Strategy (NDS2) —(2026-2030).
Approval by Cabinet
Cabinet approved the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025) on 10 November 2020 which is the Second Republic’s first of two 5-year Medium-Term Plans aimed at realising the country’s Vision 2030.
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube briefed the cabinet on the National Development Strategy and how it is going to spur Economic Growth in Zimbabwe. Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the strategy has fourteen priority areas ranging from economic stability to international engagement and re-engagement.[2]
The two plans will run under the theme Towards a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society by 2030. The National Development Strategy 1 outlines the policies, legal and institutional reforms, programmes and projects for identified National Priorities that will be implemented over the Strategy’s five-year lifespan. The National Development Strategy will build on the successes and challenges of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) and aim to steer the economy onto a growth path with an average growth rate of 5% per annum over the Strategy Period.
The NDS has 14 priority areas:
- Economic Growth and Stability;
- Food Security and Nutrition; Governance;
- Moving the Economy up the Value Chain and Structural Transformation;
- Human Capital Development;
- Environmental Protection,
- Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management;
- Housing Delivery;
- ICT and the Digital Economy;
- Health and Well-being;
- Transport, Infrastructure and Utilities;
- Image-building and International Engagement and Re-engagement;
- Social Protection;
- Youth, Sport and Culture; and
- Devolution
