The African Development Bank Group held its first Civil Society Open Day in Zimbabwe on August 27-2026, bringing together 61 representatives of government, civil society, development partners as well as Bank Group staff in Harare to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on the country’s development priorities.
The Bank Group views civil society as a critical partner in development and hosts Civil Society Open Days in regional member countries (RMCs) as a key mechanism to operationalise its engagement with the sector at the country level. These events also enable CSOs to better understand the Bank’s priorities and interventions, discuss partnership opportunities, and provide feedback on Bank-funded projects.
Discussions centred on Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2, the Bank’s Country Brief for Zimbabwe and the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points: expanding access to capital, rebuilding Africa’s financial sovereignty, harnessing the demographic dividend, and building climate-resilient infrastructure and value addition.
Participants highlighted the Bank Group’s long-standing partnership with Zimbabwe, which spans governance and accountability, agriculture and climate resilience, infrastructure, energy and water, private sector development, youth and women’s economic empowerment, and arrears clearance and debt resolution. As of July 2026, its active portfolio comprised 18 operations worth about $166 million.
Eyerusalem Fasika, the Bank’s Country Manager for Zimbabwe, told the meeting that sustainable development depends on meaningful participation by the people it is intended to serve. Civil society organizations, she said, act as advocates for citizens, partners in implementation and contributors to transparency and accountability.
“This Open Day is more than a consultation. It is an opportunity to further strengthen a partnership built on listening, trust, shared responsibility and results,” Fasika said.
Tawanda Zimhunga, Chief Director at the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, representing the Permanent Secretary, commended the Bank for creating space for candid dialogue among government, civil society and development partners, particularly as Zimbabwe implements its National Development Strategy 2 (2026–2030).
“Civil society remains a key partner in our national development journey, bringing community perspectives and helping ensure that development programmes respond to citizens’ needs and deliver tangible results, with no one and no place left behind,” Zimhunga said.
Zeneb Touré, Manager of the Bank’s Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, said the Open Day reflected a renewed partnership approach, with civil society expertise helping make Bank-financed operations more inclusive and effective.
“Your presence, proximity to communities, experience, knowledge and expertise in different development sectors make you important partners for the Bank in the country,” Touré said.
Participants discussed how civil society might engage across the project cycle, from country strategy and project design through implementation, monitoring and evaluation. They also examined routes to Bank funding, including trust funds, calls for proposals, project-based partnerships and a proposed dedicated financing mechanism for civil society organizations.
Civil society representatives welcomed the initiative and called for more structured participation in Bank-supported programmes.
Source: African Development Bank holds first Civil Society Open Day in Zimbabwe
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