AfD Bank Pledges Continued Support for Zim

By Kudzaishe Chimonera

A new phase of cooperation between Zimbabwe and the African Development Bank (AfDB) has begun after the Bank’s newly appointed Country Manager, Ms Eyerusalem Fasika formally presented her credentials to Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Prof Amon Murwira.

Speaking after the ceremony, Ms Fasika reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting Zimbabwe’s development agenda.

“The Bank’s assistance will remain firmly aligned with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy and the AfDB’s own strategic frameworks including its Ten-Year Strategy and four cardinal priority areas,” she said.

She said the Bank’s programmes in Zimbabwe span agriculture, energy, social services and private sector development sectors regarded as central to economic transformation and improving livelihoods.

Ms Fasika added that the institution’s support is also framed within wider continental and global blueprints.

“The Bank’s assistance is aligned with broader continental and global development blueprints, including Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

She commended the government for progress under its reform programme, citing the signing of a Staff-Monitored Programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Ms Fasika described the development as “an important step towards strengthening macroeconomic stability and building international confidence.”

Looking ahead, she said the AfDB would continue to back Zimbabwe’s reform efforts, while maintaining engagement on arrears clearance and expanding interventions in key sectors.

The Bank is also reviewing the completion report of its previous country engagement, she added, with the findings expected to inform its next three-year strategy.

The meeting underscored what both sides described as a strong and evolving partnership between Zimbabwe and the AfDB.