Country Focus
Op-Ed: Mthuli Ncube
This is how Zimbabwe’s economy will overcome its hurdles
Zimbabwe’s economy will overcome the numerous hurdles which lay before us on the path towards prosperity. These obstacles are patent, and in some cases potent. But with hard work, proper planning, and monetary and fiscal discipline, Zimbabwe will get out of the current economic rut. Some of these challenges are out of our control. Take Cyclone Idai in March of last year for example. The extreme weather phenomenon destroyed lives and livelihoods. This meteorological mess was followed by another, as drought struck across our lands. Food output has thus been severely hampered by these outside forces; and we have been left with no choice but to subsidise, import and rely on help from the international community to avoid total crisis. While there were some real achievements in 2019, including a balanced budget for the first time in living memory, we have a commitment to subsidise where necessary to make sure our nation is fed. As we move into the 2020s, we will continue to learn from these “unknown unknowns”. We are already investing in ‘climate proofing’ our agriculture, including new irrigation techniques, and drought resistant crops. We must now double up our efforts with our international partners – new and old – to protect our agriculture and food supply.
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64 | African Leadership | March - April 2020
Despite all the hurdles and all the barriers, Zimbabwe in 2019 leapt 15 places in the Global Ease of Doing Business rankings. As we look to improve this in 2020, privatisation is a big part of this story.
