Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By Stephen Tsamba – GOVERNMENT on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding which will see it upscale its collaborative efforts on risk management efforts with the Centre of Humanitarian Analytics (CHA).
In a keynote address, Local Government Ministry permanent secretary Zvinechimwe Churu, said “this partnership marks a noteworthy milestone in our efforts to upscale DRM synergies with a pool of humanitarian and development partners supporting Zimbabwe.
“Climate-induced disasters leading to internally displaced persons (IDPs) are on an upward trend in Zimbabwe.”
Churu said the National Development Strategy 1 had a section which affirmed social issues to enhance economic and development agenda to ensure no one and no place was left behind.
He also said they were working towards attaining a digitally enabled economy.
“Furthermore, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1, 2021-2025), which is the implementation mechanism of our National Vision 2030, has a section which affirms social issues to enhance our economic and development agenda to ensure no one and no place is left behind.
“Furthermore, we are working towards attaining a digitally enabled economy.”
The senior public official said in the event of disasters which could lead to displacements in which temporary shelter is provided by responders, government should take the lead in the application of multi-sectoral sphere standards benchmark in order to improve on quality and accountability of the humanitarian action in priority sectors.
This, he said, should not just be limited to water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion, food security and nutrition, shelter and settlement, and health.
Churu said the impact of Cyclone Idai continued to linger in memory and that to date, a total of 105 out of 224 houses for IDPs were under construction by the government while the international organisation for migration was providing transitional shelter for 674 IDP households in Chipinge and Chimanimani.
“The devastating impact of Cyclone Idai disaster which led to 341 deaths, 279 persons missing, 295 persons injured, 43 883 households affected and 17 201 internally displaced persons (IDPs), mostly in Manicaland Province, continues to linger in our memory.
“To date, a total of 105 (out of 224) houses for IDPs are under construction by the Government of Zimbabwe, while the international organisation for migration (IOM) is providing transitional shelter for 674 IDP households in Chipinge and Chimanimani.”
Churu also said cases involving displacement of populations in Zimbabwe were first experienced following Cyclone Eline in 2000 and that notable events also include displacement in Tugwi-Mukosi which occurred in 2014 and Cyclone Dineo in Tsholotsho which occurred in 2017 and 36 households in Binga district in Matebeleland North province in 2019.
He said one of the nine key commitments of Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) requires providing transparent and timely information is a prerequisite to enabling people to hold Governments and Humanitarian Agencies to account.
The permanent secretary said as government, they recognised that humanitarian accountability entailed that individuals, agencies, and organisations shall be held responsible for executing their mandate accordingly in emergency responses.
He also said their collaboration with CHA dated back to 2011 when the CEO, Wonder Mufunda, trained selected government departments in the application of Sphere minimum standards in humanitarian responses and that they are aware of other initiatives to support the government by other partners at either district, provincial or national level.
“CHA is not a newcomer in this DRM partnership; our collaboration dates back to 2011 when the CEO, Mr. Wonder Mufunda, here present trained selected government departments (including our Ministry), in the application of Sphere minimum standards in humanitarian responses. We are also aware of other initiatives to support the Government, led by various other partners at either district, provincial or national level over the years.”
