by Grace Chekai
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday launched a five-year economic blue print, National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) which will run for five years (2021-2025) and replace the Transitional Stabilisation Program (TSP) whose shelf life will expire in December this year.
Addressing attendees at the launch, President Mnangagwa said, "As you are aware, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme will be coming to an end in December this year. Consistent with the collective aspirations and determination of the people of Zimbabwe to achieve an Empowered and Prosperous Upper Middle-Income Society by 2030, we are launching today, the 5-year National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1)."
President Mnangagwa said the NDS1 was the country's first five year Development Strategy which will take us to 2025, as the country march towards achieving an upper middle income economy status by 2030.
He further said that the consultations of the Development Strategy began in October 2019 and were completed in September 2020.
"The consultations began in October 2019 and were completed in September 2020.The consultations were held at national as well as sectoral level, and involved Government, the private sector, labour, civic and community organisations, POLAD, development partners, provincial structures and the academia," said the President.
President Mnangagwa highlighted the interconnected National Priority Areas of the NDS1, which are economic growth stability, food security and nutrition security, governance, moving the economy up the value chain and structural transformation, human capital development, environmental protection and housing delivery among other things.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga commended the NDS1 launch saying Vision 2030 could only be realized through this plan.
"As you are all aware, Vision 2030 will be realized through the TSP (2018-2020), which is coming to an end in December 2020 and two successive Five-year National Development Strategies, that is, National Development Strategy of 2021-2025 and National Development Strategy 2 of 2026-2030," said the Vice President.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube said that the strategy was indeed the successor to the TSP (2018-2020) which is coming to an end on 31 December 2020. He added that the plan becomes the first five year medium term plan as the country moves toward realizing the country's Vision 2030.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi who gave the vote of thanks at the launch said that through the implementation of the NDS1, the Second Republic will transform the Zimbabwean economy as the country marches toward attainment of Vision 2030.
Vice President Mohadi promised the President that as leaders in the Government, they will direct the Government machinery during implementation of NDS1 to deliver results.
"As leaders in your Government, we promise to lead and direct the Government machinery during implementation so that we deliver to the citizenry of our great country Zimbabwe, the development results we have planned for in the NDS1 blueprint," said Vice President Mohadi.
NDS1 will build on the successes of the TSP which was meant and managed to stabilize the economy and lay the foundation for development.
