Policy Brief A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe - UNDP
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UnitedPOLICY BRIEF Development
Nations 01/2020 A PreliminaryProgramme
Assessment of the Socio-economic
Zimbabwe Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
# 001/2020
Policy Brief
A Preliminary Assessment of the
Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus
(COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
2 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
T
he novel coronavirus was first reported as a cluster of
cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan City,
Hubei Province of China on 31 December 2019. Since
then, the virus, and COVID -19, the disease that it causes,
has spread fast across the globe, including Zimbabwe01. Due
INSIDE the fast spread of the disease, both in terms of casualties and
2 Economic decline, geographic coverage, the World Health Organization (WHO),
governance challenges declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency
and a fragile health
of international concern on January 30, 2020, and thereafter,
system
5 Government response a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Being a novel disease, there
to the pandemic are certain epidemiological features that remain unclear and
7 Possible socio-
as such it is not possible to determine, with certainty, how the
economic impact of
COVID -19 pandemic will evolve. This Policy Brief presents a preliminary
11 Conclusions and Policy assessment of the socio-economic impacts of the COVID -19
Recommendations
on Zimbabwe on the basis of some known and observable facts
as opposed to a detailed and robust analysis. It identifies the
possible impact transmission channels based on the structure
of Zimbabwean economy, it’s geography and socio-political
factors; the possible effects on Zimbabwean socio-economic
development; and proffers some policy recommendations.
ECONOMIC DECLINE, GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES AND A FRAGILE
HEALTH SYSTEM
Zimbabwe has an ambitious many sectors such as health. Over the
governance reform agenda aimed at past decade, economic growth has
devolving key functions to the sub- been on a general declining trend,
national – provincial and district – culminating in contraction by an
levels, as well as a number of legal estimated 6.5 percent in 2019. The
reforms. The devolution programme Covid-19 pandemic hit Zimbabwe at a
however, faces a number of critical time when the country had targeted an
challenges and is yet to take root in economic rebound by inter alia, getting
01 COVID- 19 is a respiratory illness, just like flu, whose symptoms include dry cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty in breathing.3 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
12
Zimbabwe GDP growth
10
rates 2009 -2020
8 (actual and projected
figures) %
6
Source: Zimbabwe
4 Statistical Agency
(2020) and World Bank
2 estimates
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
the economic fundamentals right The Zimbabwean economy is
through the implementation of the characterised by heavy reliance
short-term Transitional Stabilization on the primary sector (agriculture
Programme (TSP)02. While the and minerals) for forex earnings
economy was initially projected to and employment, with limited
rebound and grow by an estimated 2.8 manufacturing and services. The
percent in 2020, mainly on account productive capacity has been on the
of performance of the mineral sector, decline due to non-competitiveness
this growth target is unlikely to be of the country’s industry which
achieved in the wake of the COVID- 19 stems from the high cost structure
pandemic and its effects on the global arising primarily from high cost of
economy, generally and, in particular, labour, rentals and utilities and the
the Zimbabwean economy03. Indeed, continued use of hard currency (USD)
the International Monetary Fund in most transactions. Consequently,
(IMF) has reported that the Covid-19 a culture of widespread trade,
would make it even harder for the mainly in imported goods and
government to balance the policies services, is fast taking root.
needed to restore macroeconomic
stability with those needed to
address urgent social needs04.
02 Available at http://www.veritaszim.net/sites/veritas_d/files/Abridged_Transitional_%20programme%202018-10-05.pdf
03 The World Bank estimates that the economy will contract by between 5 to 10 percent in 2020
04 See https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/02/26/pr2072-zimbabwe-imf-executive-board-concludes-2020-article-iv-consultation4 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
50
Manufacturing Capacity
Utilisation (%)
40
Source: Confederation
of Zimbabwe Industries
(CZI) (2020) 30
20
10
0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Moreover, in the recent past the doctors, nurses and midwives (health
economy has been characterised workers) per 1000 population needed
by macroeconomic volatility to meet the SDGs06. In addition,
as shown in below: regular strikes in the health sector,
in particular by doctors and nurses,
The official unemployment rate due to low wages and poor working
stands at 11 percent although the conditions have further compromised
vast majority of the people considered the quality of health care07. The
to be employed are engaged in low Zimbabwe Service Availability and
paying temporary insecure work and Readiness Assessment Report of
petty trade in the informal sector. 201508 revealed inadequacies in all
Moreover, Zimbabwe’s health sector the six WHO health system building
remains fragile and under-resourced, blocks, namely: human resources,
both in terms of financial and human medical products, vaccines and
resources. According to the Ministry technology including infrastructure,
of Health and Child Care, there are health financing, health information,
1.6 physicians and 7.2 nurses for service delivery, leadership and
every 10,000 people05, against governance that are prerequisites for
WHO recommendations of 4.45 a functional health delivery system.
05 Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Human Resources for Health information sheet, 2010.
06 See https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/250330/9789241511407-?sequence=1
07 In 2019 alone, Doctors’ strike lasted for more than 4 months and only ended when a private sector company chipped in with a 6-month worth
of salaries package.
08 http://ncuwash.org/newfour/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Zimbabwe-Service-Availability-and-Readiness-Assessment-Report.pdf5 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
40
Inflation (%) Recent
35 trends
30 Source: Zimbabwe
Statistical Agency
(2020)
25
20
15
10
5
0
JAN 19
FEB19
MAR 19
APR 19
MAY 19
JUN 19
JUL 19
AUG 19
SEP 19
OCT 19
NOV 19
DEC 19
JAN 20
35 FEB 20
US$/RTGS (Parallel)
30 Interbank Market &
Parallel Market Rates
25 (ZWL$ / USD$)
20
Mar 19 - Feb 20
15 Interbank
Source: Reserve Bank
10 of Zimbabwe (2020)
and UNICEF Zimbabwe
5 (2020)
0
28 MAR
28 APR
28 MAY
28 JUN
28 JUL
28 AUG
28 SEP
28 NOV
28 DEC
28 JAN
28 FEB
28 OCT
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC
Since the onset of the pandemic, the pandemic and ameliorate its
the government has instituted a effects, especially on the poor and
number of policy, institutional and vulnerable members of society09. The
operational measures to combat government’s response is founded
09 The policies and operational measures are deposited Ministry of Health and Child Care (2020): Zimbabwe Preparedness and Response Plan
– COVID -20196 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
on the following principles: limiting frontline of the response. Moreover,
human-to-human transmission, the government has effected
including to health personnel; early expenditure restructuring away from
identification, isolation and care capital projects to health-related
for patients; risk communication expenditures; ring-fencing of the 2
and community engagement; percent money transfer tax for social
narrowing knowledge gaps in protection and other pandemic related
disease transmission, prevention expenditures; availed USD 2 million
and treatment; and minimizing for urgent and immediate importation
social and economic impact. for health-related supplies; approved
immediate hiring of over 4000 health
At the apex of the national response personnel; availed ZWL 200 million
architecture is an inter-ministerial (USD 8 million) per month for a period
task force, currently chaired by one of three months as cash transfers to
of the Vice Presidents, that is tasked an estimated one million vulnerable
with overseeing implementation households; ordered the expeditious
of all necessary measures to limit processing of value-added and
transmission. Below the inter- corporate tax refunds and extended
ministerial task force there are nine the period within which tax is payable;
working groups with membership suspended customs duty chargeable
from government, development on COVID-19 medical supplies
partners, private sector and academia and reviewed procurement rules
with the responsibility for conducting to expedite purchase of COVID- 19
risk and capacity assessments; supplies; and intends to support local
preparation of standard operating industries with capacity to produce
procedures (SOPs), guidelines and basic food stuffs and pharmaceuticals.
tools; identification of key priorities And in an effort to mobilise additional
to scale up implementation of resources, especially from the
priority activities; preparation of private sector, the government has
operational budgets and timelines for established a National Disaster Fund to
implementation of identified priorities; which individual and corporate entities
and determination of priority resource may make contributions. The fund has
requirements and resource mapping. received an overwhelming response
from the private sector through, for
To date, some of the specific measures instance, the local business fighting
so far taken by government include, COVID-19 consortium. Additionally,
but are not limited to, a stimulus on 21 March 2020 Zimbabwe began a
package of ZWL 500 million (approx. national lockdown in a bid to combat
USD 20,000,000) to help fight the the spread of the coronavirus - this
pandemic and specifically, ZWL 50 meant the shutting down of most
million (USD 2,000,000) for medical governmental institutions except in
aid, mostly for civil servants on the the health sector and the uniformed7 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
forces who are instrumental in enforcing the lock down.
POSSIBLE SOCIO- ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID -19
The pandemic is, for all practical GDP growth in the continent11.
purposes, still evolving, a fact For Zimbabwe, whose economy
which renders an assessment of contracted by an estimated 6.5
its possible impact problematic. percent in 2019, continued contraction
However, on the basis of recent in the magnitude highlighted above,
developments and observable or more given the fragility of the
trends, as well as government and economy, would be disastrous,
private sector responses, there are affecting, disproportionately, the poor
certain discernable impacts that and vulnerable, small and informal
merit highlighting at this early stage. businesses, as well as small scale
In an attempt to understand the agricultural producers. Delayed
potential impact of the pandemic on imports of goods (see below) could
Zimbabwe, it is instructive to note increase shortages of basic consumer
that although it is primarily a health and intermediate goods and thus
crisis, it nonetheless has far-reaching fuel further inflationary pressures
public governance, socio-political in the country – imported inflation.
and economic ramifications. And These, together with wide currency
to understand these ramifications, fluctuations and possible rising
it is useful to determine the debt in the wake of the increased
channels through which the effects demand for goods and services for
are likely to be transmitted. effective response to the pandemic,
could dampen growth further and
Growth is likely to be depressed discourage the much- needed
further: A stable macro-economic investments thus leading to an
environment is a sine qua non for increase in the incidence of poverty.
economic growth, investments, job
creation and poverty reduction10.
A recent study by McKinsey and
Company has reported that, left
unchecked and especially in
the absence of a fiscal stimulus,
the pandemic will lead to a 3
-8 percentage point decline in
10 See for instance, Bleamey, M.F (1996): Macroeconomic stability, investment and growth in developing countries. Available at https://www.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0304387895000496
11 See Kartik Jayaram, Acha Leke, Amandla Ooko-Ombaka, and Ying Sunny Sun (2020) Tackling COVID-19 in Africa: An unfolding
health and economic crisis that demands bold action8 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
Effects of lower oil prices are likely for Zimbabwean exports, especially
to be offset by declining global tobacco which is likely to be adversely
demand for exports: Zimbabwe relies affected by economic slowdown
heavily on fuel imports to meet her in that country13. China is also an
total energy demand12. Crude oil Brent important source of intermediate
prices have declined sharply from 69. goods for South Africa, Zimbabwe’s
6 USD per barrel on January 5, 2020 main trading partner and thus any
to the current (April 03, 2020) price slowdown in economic activity in China
of 27.5 USD per barrel, a 60 percent will also affect the country indirectly
decline. This decline however, is via reduced trade with South Africa.
unlikely to translate into benefits for
Zimbabwe as it is likely to be offset by, Decline in tourism will lead to more
paradoxically, rising local fuel prices job losses and dampen growth:
as well as declining global demand Tourism is a key sector for Zimbabwe’s
for Zimbabwean exports, especially economy, generating an estimated
tobacco and minerals. The Chamber of US$1.4 billion (3.3 percent of GDP)
Mines of Zimbabwe has estimated that in revenue in 2018. Currently, most
mineral production could plunge by of the source countries have issued
60 percent in the first quarter of 2020 travel restrictions or are in total
alone as companies reduce output lockdown resulting in an increased
due to disruptions in the supply chain number of booking cancellations. Tour
and logistics leading to a loss of USD operators and hotels in the resort
400 million in revenues. Depressed city of Victoria Falls for instance had
activities in the mining sector will also reported 80 percent cancellations by
adversely affect forex earnings since early March 2020 and more recently,
minerals account for at least one most hotels have shut down altogether
third of the country’s forex earnings. leading to loss of jobs and income.
Reduced merchandise trade will Remittances are likely to decline,
negatively affect forex earnings, affecting access to basic social
revenue and growth: Exports of services and increasing vulnerability:
goods, mainly primary commodities, Zimbabwe receives an estimated
which accounted for an estimated US$1 billion in remittances from
22 percent of GDP in 2018 are its diaspora community annually.
expected to be adversely affected by Remittances are expected to decline
direct and indirect linkages with the as countries hosting significant
global economy, mainly China and numbers of Zimbabwe’s diaspora
European Union (EU) countries. China community such as South Africa are
remains an important destination affected due to slowdown in economic
12 In 2017, the country spent some $74.4 million on importation of refined petroleum products, making it the fifth most important import, by
value.
13 In 2017, China was the top destination market for Zimbabwean export, followed by South Africa, United Kingdom, India and Zambia.9 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
activity and the current lockdown malnutrition is likely to be on the rise
resulting in job losses and reduced among the food insecure, exacerbating
incomes. Given the important role of the risk of disease among adults and
remittances in sustaining livelihoods stunting and wasting in children.
in Zimbabwe, a decline in remittances
will further compromise access to Zimbabwe’s fragile healthcare
basic social services and increase system will be stretched further
vulnerability for many households. in the short run but could emerge
stronger in the medium to long term:
Household food insecurity is likely Zimbabwe’s heath system is bedeviled
to worsen as a result of adverse by a plethora of challenges, including
climatic factors and breakdown a lack of resources, mostly financial,
in supply chains: The agricultural as well as a host of institutional and
sector remains the backbone of the governance issues all of which render
Zimbabwean economy in terms of service delivery problematic. The
forex earnings and food security at the health system is beset by periodic
household level. Due to a combination strikes by health workers over
of adverse climate conditions, land remuneration, low morale among the
tenure system and poor agronomic workers and poor working conditions
practices, agricultural production and characterized by lack of essential
productivity have been on the decline equipment, inadequate medicines and
in the recent past. As a consequence, medical supplies including personal
a large number of Zimbabweans lack protective equipment (PPE). While
access to adequate food and have the government had put in place a
to rely on humanitarian assistance14. number of preventative measures
An estimated 59 percent of the total aimed at flattening the curve, there
population are food insecure and in can be no gainsaying the fact that the
need of immediate food assistance, health system will be overstretched
which in the short-run can only be and will not cope resulting in high
met through imports and, to a lesser mortality rates should the pandemic
extent, increased local production. escalate beyond the current level15.
The breakdown and/or slowdown However, the pandemic has also
of global supply chains and lack of led to unprecedented collaborative
foreign currency as well as physical effort between the government,
barriers to movement of goods across the private sector, development
borders however, will negatively affect partners and other stakeholders to
food imports to meet the domestic mobilise resources for the health
shortfall. Perhaps needless to say, sector, especially those health
due the limited availability of food, facilities designated as isolation and
14 An estimated 4.34 million people in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) phase 3 and 4 in rural areas will be requiring food
assistance between February and June 2020
15 The pandemic has exposed the latent fragilities of even some of the most developed health care systems in the world.10 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
treatment centres. If this resource a result of the pandemic, although, on
mobilization and targeting for the the global scale, some researchers
health sector was to be expanded to have posited that more men than
other health facilities including those women are dying, potentially due to
in the provinces and districts, the sex-based immunological or gendered
health system would be strengthened differences, such as patterns and
in the context of devolution easing prevalence of smoking16. Anecdotal
pressure on Harare-based facilities evidence from developing countries
and offering service to the people like Zimbabwe however, suggests
most in need close to where they live. that women are likely to suffer
disproportionate effects of such
Human capital formation will be pandemics as women mostly bear
adversely affected with rural areas burden of care work as a result of
and low-income households most morbidity; and household chores,
affected: On March 24,2020, in especially when everyone is at home
an effort to curb the spread of the during school closures and lock downs
disease, the government announced or when some family members are
indefinite closure of all schools and undergoing quarantine or isolation.
other institutions of learning, which Moreover, women, especially nurses
coincided, in part with the planned and community social workers17
school holidays. While learners from are often at the frontline of national
some urban schools and middle- response against pandemics such as
class households have continued with this COVID 19 and in the absence of
e-learning, those in low income rural PPE kits are more likely to be exposed
and high-density urban and peri- than men. Women and girls are also
urban areas have effectively stopped more likely to suffer from sexual
learning because of lack of equipment and gender-based violence during
and support structures. In the event crises like the current pandemic,
of school closure beyond the current especially during lockdown and
holiday period, there is likelihood of restricted movement. Additionally,
skewed access to education, in the women’s and especially adolescent
final analysis exacerbating inequalities girls’ reproductive rights are likely
in education outcomes, poverty to remain unmet as the government
reduction and human development. re-prioritizes expenditures, including
health sector expenditures, towards
Women and girls likely to be more the fight against the pandemic.
adversely affected: It is premature Lastly, the current lockdown and
to say whether more women than travel restrictions as well as reduced
men are likely to die in Zimbabwe as merchandise trade are also likely
16 See, for example, Wenham, Smith and Morgan, 2020 – available at https://www.cgdev.org/blog/how-will-covid-19-affect-women-and-girls-
low-and-middle-income-countries.
17 According the Zimbabwe Labour Force Survey (2014), an estimated 64.2% of the health sector labour force are women.11 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
to disproportionately affect women been reported cases of human rights
since the vast majority of women abuses in many countries across the
are engaged in micro enterprise globe. There is therefore, fear, in some
activities which rely on unfettered quarters, that the same will occur in
movement of merchandise goods Zimbabwe, particularly during the
across and within national borders. lockdown period as the security forces
move to enforce the lockdown orders.
Possible slowdown of the devolution
agenda: The government of Depolarizing national politics, bi-
Zimbabwe is currently in the process partisan approach to the response:
of devolving the powers of central On a positive note, both President
government, that is, the Executive and and the opposition leader have urged
the Treasury functions to the local Zimbabweans to act in unity and
governments of the 10 provinces. adopt a nationwide campaign against
The response to Covid-19 which the pandemic in order to flatten the
requires greater coordination and curve in the interest of the nation.
policy and programmatic direction It is such convergence of minds
from the centre could slow this at the highest political level that
noble policy stance of devolving demonstrates that Zimbabweans can
power, authority and decision de-polarise their otherwise seemingly
making to the sub-national level. intractable divergent political views
when faced with a common enemy.
Human rights abuses likely to The potential for unity of thought
increase: Many countries are and purpose could generate a turn-
currently implementing various around in the seemingly intractable
degrees of restricted movements with polarization in the country.
security forces deployed to enforce
compliance. There has however,
CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
Zimbabwe’s health system remains have been adversely affected by
fragile and ill-prepared to cope the pandemic. The government of
with the pandemic. This situation Zimbabwe, therefore, has only limited
is exacerbated by the country’s fiscal legroom available for effective
weak economic position due to response to the pandemic. Across
a huge external debt burden and the globe many countries have begun
heavy reliance on commodity, implementing a number of stimulus
mostly tobacco and mineral exports, packages, with the USA announcing
tourism and remittances for foreign the greatest stimulus package to the
exchange and revenue, all of which tune of USD 2.2 trillion comprising of12 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
direct payments to individuals and is prudent to devise ways of keeping
families, loans to small businesses, such businesses and even more
unemployment insurance benefits and established formal ones operational
loans to distressed companies. While even during the lockdown as a
such a package would be desirable in complete lockdown could lead not
the current circumstances, Zimbabwe just to loss of income and jobs but
has very limited fiscal space for also social unrest. The critical public
policy manoeuvre and as such investments in this regard should
innovative, efficient and pragmatic be aimed at providing basic social
response measures will be needed services such as running water and
in the fight against the pandemic. sanitation facilities in markets and
ensuring strict adherence to the set
Against this backdrop, we propose the hygiene practices including use of
following policy recommendations: face masks, regular handwashing/
sanitization and social distancing.
• Halt the spread and/or flatten
the curve : As a priority measure, • Strengthen the health system
Zimbabwe, working in concert with within a devolved system of
the international community, and governance: The pandemic has
especially her regional neighbours, brought to the fore the need to
should halt the spread and, in strengthen the health system in the
the worst case scenario, flatten country by inter alia, addressing
the curve as much as possible by the ever-present problem of lack
instituting community isolation of finances, shortage of trained
measures that keep the daily and motivated health workers;
number of disease cases at a a improving service delivery and
minimum or manageable level access to essential medicine
for medical providers to avoid a and supplies; strengthening
situation where its fragile health health information system; and
system becomes overstretched and promoting good governance in the
unable to cope with the pandemic, sector. More importantly, there is
leading to high morbidity and a need to approach the pandemic
mortality. response from a devolution lens
as outlined in the constitution and
• Carefully manage the pandemic other legal instruments. In this
within the context of a thriving way, the response will not only
informal economy: In the absence serve to address the pandemic
of a robust social protection but also strengthen the system of
programme and especially, a governance as well as ease the
Lifeline Fund or its variant to demand on the fiscus as it will rely
support small scale traders and on local leadership and institutional
businesses in the informal sector, it structures.13 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
• Mobilise additional resources: In especially among the existing
order to expand the available fiscal small scale traders in the informal
space, the government should sector as means of promoting their
aim for greater efficiency in the businesses and as step towards
application of scarce resources by formalising the informal sector.
curbing wastages, duplication and
leakages given the limited scope • Promote good governance and
for additional borrowing and huge respect for human rights: In
inflows of external aid. Relatedly, responding to the pandemic
the government should address, as there is need to promote peoples’
a matter of urgency, illicit financial participation, transparency, rule
flows from the country, especially of law, consensus building, equity,
from the extractive sector. While inclusiveness, effectiveness,
the above measures would lead efficiency and accountability
to enhanced domestic resource for results – the basic tenets of
mobilization, it is also evident that good governance. In addition to
the response requires additional supporting the security sector
international support. Hence, there to maintain law and order while
is a need for a well-coordinated aid respecting human rights, there
architecture to be established as an is a need to further empower the
integral part of the response. Such a various independent commissions
robust aid architecture could also be to support monitoring and reporting
leveraged to support the recovery of possible human rights violations
agenda post the pandemic. in a proactive manner.
• Cushioning the poor and vulnerable: • Turning adversity into opportunity:
There is need to cushion a large The pandemic presents an
segment of the population who opportunity for instituting a
are poor and vulnerable- small development model characterised
scale farmers, petty traders in the by investments in domestic
informal sector, people living with productive capacity especially for
HIV and AIDS, people living with basic goods and medical essentials
disability etc from the adverse such as face masks, sanitizers
effects of the pandemic through and PPEs and promoting regional
targeted social transfers. trade and deepening collaboration
between Zimbabwe and her
• Make credit more affordable and neighbours. It also presents an
promote entrepreneurship: There is opportunity for the consideration
need for government to put in place of greater investments in basic
measures that would render credit services water and sanitation and
more affordable while at the same critical sectors of the economy such
time promoting entrepreneurship, as agriculture, manufacturing and14 POLICY BRIEF 01/2020 A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID -19) on Zimbabwe
services sectors, as well as better
management of the extractives
sector for forex earning, revenue
generation, sustainable job creation
and poverty reduction. Moreover,
there is a need to adopt a long-term
and regional, that is, devolution,
approach in strengthening the
health system to combat the
pandemic, currently, and offer
quality and accessible health care
as well as other basic services to the
people, now and in the future.You can also read
