BUSINESS: CALL FOR HARMONISED POLICIES:

THE National Vision 2040 Statement that outlines the country’s economic vision and growth strategy for the next 23 years, is expected to be released before the end of this year, a senior Government official has said.

Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Secretary Dr Judith Kateera, said this follows wide stakeholder consultations held in nine of the country’s 10 provinces.

However, the actual policy document will be released later after deeper consultations with stakeholders at provincial, district and village level.

“What we are doing with the National Vision 2040 is we are going around the country’s provinces and we will conclude with Harare,” said Dr Kateera in an interview during a programme for Zim-Asset, National Investment Policy, harmonisation of investment laws, special economic zones and national development goals workshop with journalists in Harare yesterday.

“We ask stakeholders and Zimbabweans, in your portfolio to say when you look at yourself today, what is your vision, where do you want to see yourself in 2040. As stakeholders, we say give us input we document it.

“The statement should be issued this year, that is the National Vision 2040 Statement. However, the actual national policy document requires more extensive consultations, much wider and deeper than we have done because we will go into districts and some selected villages,” said Dr Kateera.

The National Vision 2040 will entail input from stakeholders on their anticipation for the economy and factoring in some enablers for economic growth.

Dr Kateera, however, could not comment on the input given by the other nine provinces where consultations have already been held.

She, however, hinted that one of the areas that the country needed to look at would be embracing more information and communication technologies in the country to enhance data capture necessary for improving productivity with the ultimate goal of ending poverty.

Additionally, the ministry is also taking stock of the Zim-Asset, to review its progress made in 2017.

Meanwhile, Government says there is need for harmonisation of all national development policies in an effort to attain the intended results to achieve set targets for all major macroeconomic variables and fundamentals.

In the case of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be incorporated into vision 2040 and Zim-Asset in a bid to make the policies easy to implement.

Policy Formulation Analysis and Co- ordination Director in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Edward Samuriwo, said Government needs policy clarity and consistency to achieve its developmental goals.

“We should develop a co- operation strategy, which has policy consistency and clarity, which can create a conducive environment for policy implementation in order to achieve the desired results.

“We should incorporate Sustainable Development Goals targets and align it together with ZimAsset 11 and Vision 2040 to improve com- petitiveness of the country,” said Mr Samuriwo.

Under the Zim-Asset 11, nation building and re-branding as well as promoting consumption of “made in Zimbabwe” products will be one of the top agendas.

Research, science and technology innovation systems, nation building and re-branding as well as promoting consumption of “made in Zimbabwe” products will be key in the new development policy.

Government seeks to promote domestic investment and expand the local market.