37th CFS Plenary Session, 17-22 October 2011, Rome
The CFS is the United Nations' forum for reviewing policies concerning world food. It is the most inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure food security and nutrition.
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21 November 2011 – More than one million Zimbabweans will struggle for food between now and March, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which has already begun assisting the most vulnerable but needs $42 million to fund its activities in the Southern African nation.
Failed harvests and the economic downturn have led to a situation where around 12 per cent of the rural population will not have the means to feed themselves adequately during what is known as the lean season.
This is despite improvements in the food security situation in recent years, the agency noted in a news release issued today.
Press Release No. 10/420
November 8, 2010
A staff team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Vitaliy Kramarenko, visited Harare during October 25-November 3, 2010 to discuss recent economic development and the economic outlook and policies. IMF staff met with Finance Minister Biti, Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Mashakada, Energy and Power Development Minister Mangoma, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Gono, and other senior officials, as well as representatives of the financial, business, and diplomatic communities. The mission would like to thank the authorities for their excellent cooperation and warm hospitality.
8 September 2010 – A major distribution of school supplies got under way today across Zimbabwe in an effort by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Government and international donors to ensure that every primary school student receives a textbook for all core subjects.
All 5,575 primary schools in Zimbabwe will receive the supplies thanks to support from the Educational Transition Fund (ETF), a multi-donor funding mechanism launched a year ago to mobilize resources for the education sector with a view to improving the quality of schooling for the country’s children, UNICEF said in a press release.
10 August 2010 – An estimated 1.68 million Zimbabweans still require agricultural assistance and food aid despite an improvement in the country’s food production thanks to Government efforts and a $70 million international assistance programme for farmers in the Southern African nation, United Nations agencies said today.
According to a joint report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) based on assessments in June, the area planted with maize, Zimbabwe’s staple food, increased by 20 per cent this year, the highest level in 30 years, and production was up seven per cent compared to last year.
Public Information Notice (PIN) No. 10/62
May 25, 2010 -- Public Information Notices (PINs) form part of the IMF's efforts to promote transparency of the IMF's views and analysis of economic developments and policies. With the consent of the country (or countries) concerned, PINs are issued after Executive Board discussions of Article IV consultations with member countries, of its surveillance of developments at the regional level, of post-program monitoring, and of ex post assessments of member countries with longer-term program engagements. PINs are also issued after Executive Board discussions of general policy matters, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board in a particular case.
5 May 2010 – Some 5 million children in Zimbabwe will receive urgently needed protection from a growing spread of measles thanks to $5.6 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Despite an initial vaccination of more than 148,000 children in 23 districts since the beginning of the outbreak in September, the disease has been on the rise with more than 6,200 cumulative cases, including 384 deaths, reported in 57 of the 62 districts across the impoverished southern African country.
“The CERF contribution will allow for urgent programmes to immunize children against this deadly disease,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said today. “Halting the spread of measles now should avert a number of preventable deaths.”
Press Release No. 10/107
March 23, 2010 -- A mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Vitaliy Kramarenko visited Zimbabwe during March 3-17, 2010 to conduct the 2010 Article IV consultation discussions. The mission met with Prime Minister Tsvangirai, Minister of Finance Biti, Minister of Economic Development Mangoma, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gono, and other senior government officials, as well as representatives of the diplomatic and business communities, and civil society organizations and labor unions. The mission would like to thank the Zimbabwe authorities for excellent cooperation and warm hospitality.
At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Kramarenko, mission chief for Zimbabwe, issued the following statement in Harare:
12 March 2010 – Aid agencies in Zimbabwe are appealing to donors to support the $378 million appeal launched last December to support humanitarian and early recovery efforts in the country, the United Nations humanitarian wing reported today.
“Lack of funding at this crucial time could derail progress made between the latter part of 2009 and now,” warned the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which noted that the 2010 Consolidated Appeal is just over 2 per cent funded.
Zimbabwe has been plagued by widespread humanitarian suffering in recent years, driven in part by long-running political strife.
9 December 2009 – The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, plagued in recent years by food shortages, an erosion of basic services and an economic downturn due in part to long-running political strife, has significantly improved but continued aid is still needed to maintain the positive gains, a top United Nations official said today.
“Any sudden shock can wipe out the recent gains,” Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg said at the end of a three-day visit. “We must continue working together to avoid losing the momentum. The international community has been generous to the people of Zimbabwe in 2009 by granting $642 million for humanitarian needs. It is my hope that this will continue well into 2010.”
7 December 2009 – International aid agencies and the Government of Zimbabwe today appealed for $378 million to support humanitarian and early recovery efforts in the Southern African country over the next year, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced today.
Zimbabwe has been plagued by widespread humanitarian suffering in recent years, driven in part by long-running political strife.
Despite some improvement in Zimbabwe’s humanitarian situation – largely attributable to political changes that positively influenced socio-economic conditions and greater cooperation between the Government of Zimbabwe, aid partners and donors – it remains fragile.
The spike in food prices of last year (2008) underscored what experts have been telling us for many years: the world's food systems are in crisis