PAC sets up committees

MEMBERS of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC)— who were inaugurated by President Mnangagwa on Thursday — have hit the ground running by forming five thematic work groups in line with the five strategic pillars of Vision 2030.

The Government’s economic blueprint - the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) - stipulates that the aspirations of Vision 2030 will be realised through five strategic clusters, namely governance, macro-economic stability and re-engagement, inclusive growth, social/human capital development and infrastructure and utilities.

In a statement yesterday, the PAC said they were already on the ground, working on strategies which will assist President Mnangagwa in addressing the challenges facing the country.

“We have already organised ourselves into clusters,” the PAC said.

“If you look at Vision 2030 and the TSP you will realise there are five clusters which should guide the development efforts we are going to make as a country. As such, we have come up with an equal number of clusters. Over the last weeks PAC members have been familiarising themselves with the two documents, that is Vision 2030 and TSP. “

The council said the committees will be meeting regularly.

“We will be meeting often but the PAC will be meeting with the President quarterly but it can be more than that depending on the need. I can tell you that we have already started as we were given the green light by the President yesterday (Thursday).”

The 26 members of PAC are experts and leaders drawn from sectors such as business, health and social protection, agriculture, governance and human rights, faith-based organisations, tourism, education, minorities, ICT, civil

society, communication and media management. PAC facilitator Mr Joe Mtizwa said their services would be voluntary. “The service that we are bringing in is voluntary and we come to serve as independent members,” he said.

“We do not expect to benefit from these appointments contrary to what we hear in the press. Rather we seek to give our country of our best as we endeavour to make a contribution to the strategic future of Zimbabwe.”

In his inaugural meeting with PAC members, President Mnangagwa exhorted them to quickly give impetus to the TSP by proffering advice and assisting in the formulation of key economic strategies that advance Vision 2030.

He said to propel development and improve people’s livelihoods, the PAC members should expend more energy towards supporting the TSP and policy pronouncements made under the Second Republic. “The Transitional Stabilisation Programme and the various policy pronouncements made under the Second Republic should be a beacon through which we must unleash our full potential towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” President Mnangagwa said.

“We must therefore proffer our views, recommendations and solutions alive to the interests of the majority.

“Let us give due regard to the undeniable need to uplift the quality of life of the millions of our people throughout the country. As the Presidential Advisory Council your work programme should be informed by the immense opportunities in every sector in our nation and the various strategies we need to grow and develop our economy. The present challenges must never obscure or limit what we can become or what we should do, now and in the future. I challenge you to be informed by the hope of a better and more prosperous tomorrow.”

The PAC members will hold office for the duration of the President’s tenure of office.