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Source: Zim to co-host 2027 global women’s conference – herald

Herald Reporter

GOVERNMENT has approved Zimbabwe’s participation in two major continental engagements to be held in 2027, with Cabinet clearing the co-hosting of the Global Africa Women’s Sustainability Conference in Victoria Falls and approving the bid to host the Youth Connekt Africa Summit.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda said the decisions were made after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, bringing Zimbabwe closer to high-profile platforms focused on women’s empowerment, sustainable enterprise and youth development.

“The Global Africa Women’s Sustainability Conference is hosted annually by ImpactHer, a Non-Governmental Organisation that promotes women empowerment globally,” said Minister Soda.

The Zimbabwe edition is designed to position the country and the Southern African region as a powerhouse for women-led sustainable enterprises, green innovation and cross-regional trade.

Minister Soda said the Conference serves as a continental convening platform connecting the most dynamic voices in policy, investment and entrepreneurship to advance a shared vision whereby women are not just participants in the economy, but its architects.

“The Conference provides an opportunity to showcase Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurial talent, cultural richness, tourism assets, and investment potential to a highly influential continental and global audience,” he said.

Minister Soda said the Zimbabwe edition will be held in Victoria Falls in 2027 under the theme “Reimagine, Reshape Rise: Women as Vanguards of Global Sustainable Future.”

Cabinet also approved Zimbabwe’s bid to host the Youth Connekt Africa Summit in 2027.

“Cabinet considered and approved the bid for Zimbabwe to Host the Youth Connekt Africa Summit in 2027,” said Minister Soda.

Youth Connekt Africa is a continental platform established to connect young people to economic opportunities, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, financial inclusion, mentorship and policy dialogue.

“The Summit provides a platform for showcasing innovation, sharing best practices, fostering partnerships and advancing youth development agendas.

“The Summit will enhance Zimbabwe’s international image and strengthen diplomatic and development cooperation with African countries and development partners,” said Minister Soda.

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Source: African art takes its place globally: VP Mohadi – herald

Nyore Madzianike in VENICE, Italy

AFRICAN artists have earned their place on the global stage and are proving that they can compete with the best in the world, Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi has said.

Speaking yesterday after touring various exhibitions at the Arsenale Pavilion at the ongoing 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, VP Mohadi said the continent’s artists possess the talent, expertise and foundations needed to continue raising Africa’s profile internationally.

The exhibition is being held under the theme: “In Minor Keys.”

“Well, I am very proud of Africa. There are quite a number of exhibitors here from the African continent, the entire continent,” VP Mohadi said.

“But even Southern Africa itself has actually exhibited quite a lot. There is this lady from South Africa (Helen Sibidi), who I’m told is turning 82 now; she has got some work, quite a massive array of work within this Arsenale.

“So, I am very much impressed by that. It also means that in Zimbabwe, we can even do better than what we are doing now.”

VP Mohadi added that Zimbabwe has the artists and the know-how “and we have got the basics with which we can do better”.

“So, we are here benchmarking, as I said yesterday (Tuesday). But I am very much impressed by what our artists are doing, what the region is doing, also what the continent is doing.

“We have actually taken our place internationally; that this is Africa and as Africa we can do it,” he said.

The VP also said he was impressed by exhibitions from Latin America, noting that many of the artefacts on display reflected strong African influences and historical links to the continent.

“The other thing that really impressed me most was the exhibition from the Southern part of America, Latin America.

“They all depicted African sort of artefacts, which means that even though they are now whatever they call themselves out there as Latin Americans, but the roots are still back home because what they depict is very much African,” he said.

VP Mohadi said the artworks showcased at the exhibition carried diverse messages, including themes of spirituality, identity and humanity’s connection with the universe.

“There are quite a number of messages that they convey. Part of the message is that they try to convey the connection of us, as human beings, with the universe,” he said.

“How we connect and how we have been. They actually depict everything. You find that back home, we do not really talk more about other gods or other powers.

“But here, they show; you go to Southeast Asia, you go to China, they depict quite a lot of what they call gods or what they call powers, spiritual powers.

“So, we are learning quite a lot”.

At the Arsenale Pavilion, VP Mohadi toured exhibitions by artists from Cameroon, South Africa, Kenya, Barbados, the United States of America and Brazil, among others.

He was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in his Office, Dr Benson Martins Dube, Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Anselem Sanyatwe and other Government officials.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Italy, Ms Mietani Chauke, and National Gallery of Zimbabwe executive director Mr Raphael Chikukwa led the delegation during the tour.

Today, VP Mohadi is expected to tour the Zimbabwe Pavilion at Santa Maria della Pietà, where Eva Raath, Pardon Mapondera, Franklyn Dzingai, Felix Shumba and Gideon Gomo are exhibiting under the theme, “The Nature/Manyonga.”

More than 4 000 people have been visiting the Zimbabwe Pavilion every week since the exhibition opened to the public on May 9.

Zimbabwe first participated in the Venice Biennale in 2011 and has maintained a consistent presence at the international exhibition ever since.

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Source: President to launch reviewed National Co-operatives Act – herald

Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent

President Mnangagwa is expected to launch the reviewed National Co-operatives Act tomorrow, a milestone that will strengthen the co-operative movement, improve regulation and enhance access to economic opportunities for millions of Zimbabweans.

In an interview, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the legal reforms to the law governing co-operatives were meant to respond to the evolving sector since 2017, when the last review was conducted.

This comes as the Second Republic, led by President Mnangagwa, continues to register milestones in different economic sectors in line with its mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.

The event will take place during the inaugural National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Co-operatives Indaba.

The high-level forum is expected to bring together Government, financial institutions, the private sector, development partners, co-operatives and entrepreneurs to explore ways of enhancing the sector’s role in the country’s economic transformation agenda.

The two-day indaba will be held under the theme: “Towards Vision 2030: Building an Enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operatives Ecosystem.”

“We have been working hard. We cannot continue with what we spoke about in 2017 when we are now in 2026,” she said.

“The review, by the way, was not done by just the ministry or Government alone. There were extensive consultations, and what emerged from those consultations is what we have now incorporated into the National Co-operatives Act.”

The launch comes after the formulation and Cabinet approval of the National Co-operative Development Policy in December 2025.

“Co-operatives now operate across virtually every productive sector of the economy, making it essential that the legal framework evolves alongside them,” she said.

“The existing Act has not kept pace with these developments and remains misaligned with several priorities contained in the National Co-operative Societies Development Policy, particularly in areas such as financial management, digitalisation, and co-operative marketing and trade.”

The review, said Minister Mutsvangwa, seeks to modernise the legal framework, eliminate outdated provisions and create conditions that will allow co-operatives to realise their full potential as engines of inclusive and sustainable economic development.

The ministry, she added, is also working towards a dedicated legal framework for savings and credit co-operatives.

The policy reviews the previous 2005 Co-operative Policy and seeks to rebrand co-operative societies by making them instrumental in innovation, industrialisation, empowerment and wealth creation.

The policy further provides an enabling regulatory framework aimed at entrenching good governance, financial inclusion, transparency and accountability in the management of co-operative societies, unlike in the past.

The new policy aligns the co-operative sector with national development strategies, financial inclusion initiatives, artificial intelligence and digitalisation.

Minister Mutsvangwa said some co-operatives, particularly in the housing sector, had experienced challenges in the past, but the revised legislation would reinforce accountability and improve governance.

“Here and there, there may have been co-operatives, perhaps in housing, where there have been some issues. But I want you to know that the work of this ministry is to make sure that we register all co-operatives,” she said.

“No one can just start a co-operative without a constitution and begin operating. They must have a constitution; they come here; they are registered.”

Currently, there are approximately 10 802 registered co-operative societies with an estimated three million members operating across key sectors of the economy, including housing, agriculture, savings and credit, fisheries, manufacturing, mining, transport, retail, arts and culture, as well as services such as education, health, security, ICT (information and communication technology) and waste management.

Of these, 3 812 are housing co-operatives, 1 380 are savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs), 961 are agricultural co-operatives, 924 are in manufacturing, 860 are fisheries co-operatives, 990 are multi-purpose co-operatives, while the remaining 1 875 operate in other sectors, including transport, mining and services.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the reviewed Act would also improve confidence in co-operatives among financial institutions, making it easier for them to access financing.

“We want to make sure that when financial institutions see co-operatives coming into banks, they give them due respect, knowing that they are playing a very important role in the country’s economy,” she said.

She added that Zimbabwe was drawing lessons from successful co-operative models elsewhere on the continent, including Kenya, as part of efforts to modernise the country’s legal and institutional framework.

“As a country, we always want to learn from others how we can improve our support for co-operatives,” she said.

President Mnangagwa has spearheaded several initiatives in different economic sectors that have helped improve the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.

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Source: Govt registers 15 000 skilled returnees – herald

George Maponga-Masvingo Bureau

Government has set up a Databank of 15 000 registered skilled people who have returned to Zimbabwe in recent weeks mainly from South Africa, which has been rocked by vigilante xenophobic attacks.

The development comes as Zimbabwe implements the Global Skills Partnership Programme, which seeks to facilitate the safe migration of skilled citizens to countries experiencing skills shortages.

Cabinet approved the Global Skills Partnership Programme last year. The recent disturbances in South Africa have forced thousands of skilled Zimbabweans to return home.

The experts will help the country achieve targets under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which is guiding the nation’s transformation into an upper-middle-income society by 2030.

The programme is being implemented through a Whole-of-Government approach involving five Ministries: Skills Audit and Development; Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development; Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.

An inter-ministerial committee workshop to deliberate strategies for the smooth implementation of the programme began in Masvingo yesterday.

The repatriation of 100 000 Zimbabweans from South Africa has resulted in the return of thousands of skilled Zimbabweans who could help drive socio-economic transformation.

Skills Audit and Development Ministry Permanent Secretary Ambassador Rudo Chitiga said developments in South Africa were having a direct impact on the programme.

“Recent events in South Africa have had an effect on our programme (Global Skills Partnership). I was in Beitbridge yesterday where I met some of our people who were returning home and all they needed was safe migration,” she said.

“We as the Government will know exactly where we have placed our people and for how long, fully knowing that they are protected.

‘’We have so far created a databank with 15 000 registered skilled returnees and some of them have skills that are required in our industries locally such as artisans, welders, bricklayers and technicians and these will be absorbed because there is space for them locally.’’

Ambassador Chitiga said the databank also includes skilled workers in agriculture, particularly those with expertise in grape harvesting, as well as construction workers, some of whom participated in the building of football stadiums ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa.

Skilled returnees who could not be immediately absorbed locally would be considered for opportunities under the Global Skills Partnership Programme, she said.

‘’Right now, South Africa already has a skills gap and under this programme (Global Skills Partnership) we will facilitate safe migration to South Africa for a specific group of people who possess skills that are required there.

“So, we are negotiating with South Africa for safe migration of our skilled people who fall into specific categories.

‘’Some of our people were actually asking us at the border where this programme was all along because it allows safe migration for our people to those countries that have skills’ gaps,’’ said Ambassador Chitiga.

The workshop is expected to deliberate on the responsibilities of each ministry involved in the implementation of the programme.

Zimbabwe has already been exporting skilled labour to countries within SADC and beyond.

Government has deployed hundreds of teachers to Rwanda under a bilateral arrangement, while health professionals have also secured opportunities abroad.

According to Ambassador Chitiga, each ministry involved in the programme has a clearly defined role.

Her ministry is responsible for identifying available skills, while the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage conducts background checks to ensure prospective migrants have no criminal records.

The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development verifies qualifications, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade identifies and negotiates agreements with countries facing skills shortages.

The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is responsible for ensuring that labour laws in destination countries adequately protect the rights of Zimbabwean workers.

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Source: Ugandan VP jets in for Zim Peer Review Report launch – herald

Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will today officially launch Zimbabwe’s Review Report of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Harare.

Uganda’s Vice President, Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, who arrived in Harare yesterday afternoon to stand in for APRM Chairperson, President Yoweri Museveni, will attend the event.

Shortly after her arrival in Harare, the Ugandan Vice President paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices.

Writing on his X handle after their meeting yesterday, President Mnangagwa said: “I was pleased to receive Her Excellency, Major (Rtd) Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, who paid a courtesy call on me at the Munhumutapa Building following her arrival in Harare.

“Vice President Alupo is in Zimbabwe representing my brother, His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is the current Chairperson of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government.”

The President said during their discussions, they reaffirmed the deep-rooted bilateral relations and shared Pan-African values between Zimbabwe and Uganda.

“Her presence is a testament to our continent’s collective commitment to self-assessment and African solutions to African challenges.

“Tomorrow (today), July 16, 2026, we will officially launch Zimbabwe’s Review Report of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden.

“This landmark event marks a significant milestone in our country’s governance trajectory, policy innovations, and socio-economic reforms under the Second Republic,” said President Mnangagwa.

After their closed-door engagement with the President, VP Alupo addressed the media, stating that she communicated Kampala’s support for Harare’s efforts to implement the APRM report.

“In our interaction, Uganda will support Zimbabwe on the implementation of issues to do with that report for the good of all the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.

“The issues in the report are based on the socio-economic transformation of Zimbabwe and the independence of the people of Zimbabwe economically, and the financial inclusion of all the people of Zimbabwe in the national economy.

“So, tomorrow (today) we are looking forward to a successful launch of that report and many more details will be unveiled to you and all the people of Zimbabwe and indeed Uganda after that meeting.”

The establishment of the APRM in Zimbabwe serves as a crucial mechanism for self-evaluation, peer accountability, and ongoing improvement.

The APRM is a mutually agreed, voluntary self-monitoring instrument established by African Union  member States to promote good governance, transparency, and sustainable development across the continent by assessing six key thematic pillars.

These are democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance, socio-economic development, State resilience to disaster and shocks, and e-governance.

Zimbabwe officially joined the APRM in 2020 during the 29th Session of the African Peer Review (APR) Forum of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, targeting the pillar of economic governance and management.

In November last year, the country underwent a targeted review on economic governance and management across the country’s ten provinces, under the guidance of the APRM Continental Secretariat.

President Mnangagwa presented the country’s Review Report, which was successfully peer-reviewed at the 35th APR Forum of Heads of State and Government in February this year in Addis Ababa.

VP Alupo said she had also discussed the need for Zimbabwe and Uganda to upscale their economic relations.

“I am very glad that on arrival here in Harare, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa accorded me and my delegation a courtesy visit to his office in which we have shared a range of warm bilateral issues between Uganda and Zimbabwe, among them to accelerate trade between the two countries and market the two countries bilaterally and multilaterally to attract tourism, which is the biggest foreign exchange earner to most of the African countries, including Zimbabwe,” she said.

In an interview just before VP Alupo’s arrival, National Governing Council Chairperson Ambassador James Manzou, who was part of the welcoming delegation led by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, said today’s launch is of paramount significance.

“It is a very important occasion where His Excellency the President is launching the Zimbabwe Review Targeted Report, which has its recommendations,” he said.

“This report, as some of you may have already picked up some of the snippets of this report, is a very important report and what makes it very important is that it has a lot of good practises, practises that can be shared on the continent with other countries.”

Attorney General Mrs Virginia Mabiza was also at the Robert Gabriel Muga International Airport to welcome the Ugandan Vice President.

Before today’s launch, Ambassador Aly El-Hefny, a member of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons, led a review team that commended a number of things in the economic governance of Zimbabwe.

Said Ambassador Manzou: “It commended also the issue of performance contracting, you know, which we are doing, it commended the issue of land reform, which is the empowerment of the people, it also commended the issue of Village Business Units, among many other areas.”

In a statement yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry spokesperson Mrs Philisiwe Chidawanyika said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade wishes to inform the nation that the President, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, will officially launch Zimbabwe’s Review Report of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Harare on 16 July 2026, in the presence of the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, Maj (Rtd) Jessica Rose Epel Alupo who will be representing the Chair of the APRM and President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; and officials from the APRM Continental Secretariat led by Her Excellency Dr Thelma Awori, panel member in charge of Zimbabwe.

“The institutionalisation of the APRM in Zimbabwe, is a vital tool for self-assessment, peer accountability, and continuous improvement, aimed at: aligning national policies with continental best practices while reinforcing a commitment to governance and people-centered development; providing an objective, factbased narrative regarding Zimbabwe’s governance and socio-economic achievements; and creating robust platforms for engagement and dialogue between the Government, private sector, communities and non-state actors.”

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