Development Cooperation in Zimbabwe

The Irish Government has provided development cooperation to Zimbabwe since its independence.

From 2017-2019, approximately €3.6 million per annum will be provided under the Ireland in the Southern Africa sub-region Strategy 2017-2021. During the final two years of the strategy – 2020 and 2021 - it is envisaged that the programme budget will increase to approximately €5million euro per annum (all budgets are subject to annual government approval). Currently, the programme is managed from Ireland’s Embassy in Pretoria with a small team located in Harare.

Healthcare for children and mothers

Our programme in Zimbabwe improves maternal and child health care by channelling much-needed resources to isolated district health care facilities through UNICEF. Irish funding also strengthens the capacity of civil society organisations to promote respect for human rights and address gender based violence.

Some key results achieved with Ireland’s contribution in 2017 are:

• 21,687 children were treated for malnutrition across Zimbabwe’s poorest districts.
• 303,111 pregnant women at risk of complicated delivery were identified and referred to relevant health facilities.
• 4,984,647 people reached with health promotion messages.
• Civil Society Organisations in Zimbabwe addressed 22,500 cases of human rights abuses.

Further detail on the Irish Aid programme in Zimbabwe is available in the Ireland’s Strategy on South Africa and the Southern Africa sub-region 2017-2021.