Harare – Civil society organisations (CSOs) are demanding a meaningful role in structures and processes that co-ordinate aid in Zimbabwe. This was the call among CSOs who participated in a recent CSO Consultation on Aid and Development Effectiveness held at Bronte Hotel in Harare last 23 February 2011. The meeting was the start of the country-level process in Zimbabwe following the Southern Regional CSO Consultations and Multi-Stakeholder Consultations back in 2009. The meeting ended with the agreement to establish an aid platform for CSOs to represent them officially within dialogue mechanisms.
Dakarayi Matanga, Executive Director of ZIMCODD, noted that CSO active involvement in the AID Coordination Mechanism of the country is essential since aid issues affect everyone. He also stressed the need of facilitating greater involvement of CSOs representing other sectors/districts and other aid actors such as academe and media.
Zimbabwe is not a signatory of the Paris Declaration but has taken steps to operationalize the principles of PD and AAA in the country. The meeting was organized by Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD), Poverty Reduction Forum Trust (PRFT) and Women’s Action Group (WAG) and supported by the IBON/RoA Country Outreach Program.