job Description
Zimbabwe is classified as a country in “debt distress” with accumulated unsustainable debt levels and arrears owed to several international creditors and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). At the end December 2022, Zimbabwe's total public debt was estimated at US$18 billion. The impact of debt on national development cannot be over emphasised. The debt issue is a development challenge to Zimbabwe and without its resolution there is limited access to development resources from international financial institutions. In addition to affecting a country's credit rating and challenges associated with debt servicing it is evident that due to debt overhang, Zimbabwe has lost out on a number of funding opportunities from international creditors. In recent years, the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) has demonstrated a commitment to repay its arrears and debt. In 2021, the GoZ developed and adopted the Arrears Clearance, Debt Relief, and Restructuring Strategy (ACDRRS) with options for arrears clearance and debt resolution. According to the UN Secretary General, “the process of arrears clearance and debt relief must be anchored on mutual accountability, inclusivity; mutual respect and recognition of the sovereignty of Zimbabwe, leveraging of trade for development in the context of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, ensuring immediate debt resolution, arrears clearance dividends that support social development and protection targeting the poor and most vulnerable to improve the quality of life of citizens.”
In December 2022, the Government established a Structured Dialogue Platform (SDP) with all its creditors and Development Partners, to institutionalize structured dialogue on economic and governance reforms to underpin Zimbabwe's Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution process. The Government of Zimbabwe with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), developed an action plan to guide the implementation of priorities identified within the context of the Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution process. Stakeholders recognise that arrears clearance and debt resolution for Zimbabwe is both an economic and governance issue that needs to be addressed from both fronts.
The SDP also focuses on land tenure, compensation for former farm owners and resolution of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs). The National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) recognises that a secure land tenure and land administration system is central to a vibrant and productive agricultural sector to deal with illegal settlements, deforestation, land degradation, farm boundary disputes, as well as conflicts between different land uses including mining, forestry, tourism, and urban expansion and halt the loss of productive land to urban developments. The SWG and its sub-sector working group seek to contribute to the identification, development, and implementation of Zimbabwe's land tenure reforms in line with the Constitution, international good practices, and laws on bilateral commitments. It further contributes to promoting equity, macroeconomic stability and growth, and provides Zimbabwe with the credibility to successfully negotiate its arrears clearance and outstanding debt obligations in order to enable a sustainable debt profile. Since the launch and establishment of the dialogue process, the land SWG co-chaired by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), UNDP and the Embassy of Switzerland have supported the formal dialogue process under this pillar of the arrears clearance and re-engagement process. Several meetings have been held to date including the development of a workplan of key priority focus areas. It is within this context that the services of a UNV are required to support the implementation of activities under the SWG workplan.
Context:
The UNV Research and Administrative Office will support both the UNDP and Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) in Harare, Zimbabwe working under the overall supervision of the SWG Adviser/Consultant to meet the overall objective of the Land SWG and Arrears Clearance process. The UNV will have a dotted reporting line to UNDP through the Team Leader, Transformative Governance Unit.
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