The Sunday Mail
DR Judith Kateera, an executive director and ambassador of the African Development Bank (AfDB) representing Zimbabwe on the board, celebrated Zimbabwe’s Independence Day on April 18.
Below are highlights of her statement to Zimbabweans in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
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A very good evening to you all and welcome to the virtual celebration of the Zimbabwe Independence Day.
Today is a very special day in the lives of all Zimbabweans, as it represents the day when we all became politically free in 1980, from our colonial masters, the British.
This is the day when we used to sing, dance, ululate and party all day and night, celebrating and thanking our God for liberating us from the yoke of oppression.
As we celebrate this special day, I would like to pay special tribute to our living and fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives and made this day possible.
Tinokutendai varwi verusunguko. Hatife takakanganwa.
To the fallen heroes, I pray and say – may your souls rest in peace. Amen.
For those who managed to tune in and connect with home, you have already received the messages from our leaders, especially His Excellency, the President E.D Mnangagwa.
In similar vein, we gather here and wherever we are as a people, to celebrate this special day, a day which is not like any other day, our Freedom Day.
As your executive director here at the AfDB, in Abidjan, I have a few special messages to share with you regarding financial and economic issues pertaining to our country.
I believe that this message is important for us to take note of, as we strategise on how each and every one of us Zimbabweans, can contribute as productive economic cadres, towards the realisation of our economic independence.
On the economic front, we are all aware of the challenges that Zimbabwe and the rest of the global economy have been and continues to face with Covid-19 and its devastating effects.
Economies have shrunk, leaving a trail of unemployed and vulnerable people languishing in poverty.
We need to put on our thinking caps and think strategically about the post Covid-19 period and its implications on the economy, the people, and the future generation.
Zimbabwe, like other African economies, has suffered the first recession.
Our flagship publication, the 2021 African Economic Outlook (AEO) described recovery as uncertain for this year.
The African Centre for Disease Control (CDC) projects that national herd immunity in Africa will be achieved towards end of 2022.
Besides our own internal/endogenous factors that we have control over, we note that external shocks continue unabated to militate against the global economy, Zimbabwe included.
Consequently, the outlook in general is not as certain nor as bright as originally envisaged due to these potential risks and threats to growth and development.
Having said this, I simply wish to encourage each and every one of us to keep the economy on our radars, playing our role as economic cadres in our specialised areas of expertise.
Do not hesitate to communicate when you hold vital information that saves the economy and thus saves the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Now focusing on Zimbabwe-AfDB relationship, we note with appreciation that the AfDB, through the African Development Fund gave us US$10 million for Covid-19, this being consequent to debt and arrears that we owe to the multilaterals and other creditors.
Going forward, the county needs to have a meeting of minds, Government and private sector, with respect to making good all that is owed. We are on our own.
We are the only country and shareholder of the AfDB that is in arrears.
It is very sad and unfortunate if I may say, to be in such a situation.
All the doors are locked and Zimbabwe has no access to development finance, and not even to fighting Covid-19.
We need to continue putting on our thinking caps with respect to mobilisation of resources in fighting this pandemic.
As of 17 April 2021, Zimbabwe had recorded 37 699 Covid-19 cases, 35 005 recoveries and 1 552 deaths.
Regarding vaccines, 276 095 people had received their first dose of the vaccine, while 35 806 had received the second dose.
The need to protect life remains critical and priority number one.
In the meantime, all vaccines were not locally produced but imported.
Going forward, strategic thinking and planning dictates that the country builds capacity in production of pharmaceuticals, including vaccines.
Today, the world, except for a few countries watched Zimbabweans die as no one would lend to the country due to debt.
This should not be repeated should there be another pandemic of similar or greater magnitude.
As your executive director and an economist of many years, my special message to you and all Zimbabweans is that until and unless the debt is cleared and the country is in good standing with the multilaterals and our creditors, we are literally on our own.
Even when death knocks on our door wearing the ugly Covid-19 face or takes any other form, the world has made a statement that is loud and clear as regards loaning Zimbabwe any money.
We need to take action as we roll towards our 42nd Independence Day.
It therefore takes you and me to contribute to making good what we owe to our creditors.
That done, we need to draw lessons from procuring debt with its attendant implications, and also draw lessons with respect to utilisation of debt finance.
I therefore urge each and every one of us to always remember that unless we are a united people ready to build our own country, a people with a common cause, with respect to where we are going as a nation, we will not be able to turnaround the economy to the pre-Covid-19 era.
Allow me colleagues, to say that successful clearance of our debt and arrears to the global economy is not only about money.
Successful delivery of this assignment largely depends on our ability to embrace and work closely with each other, acknowledging the various technical skills and expertise required to make this a success.
This refers specifically to, love, forgiveness, oneness, and having a common vision or ability to pull together in the same direction.
This will enable the county and thus the sleeping giant to move forward in a sustainable manner.
As a Catholic and a Christian, allow me to share some of my great values in life and these are called the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
These are:
Wisdom
Understanding
Counsel (right judgement)
Fortitude (courage)
Knowledge
Piety (reverence)
Fear of the Lord (wonder and awe).
I pray that we all have these gifts and great values in order to grow and develop Zimbabwe.
Dr Judith Kateera is an executive director at the Africa Development Bank for Africa Group II Constituency (Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe). She holds a PhD in Economics from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. She is passionate about development economics in Africa.
