Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) STERP achieves little progress

STERP achieves little progress
Mutsawashe Makuvise
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:23:00 +0000

THE Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme (STERP) will be rolled over into the medium term plan scheduled for next year to enable stakeholders to complete key objectives of the prevailing economic policy, according to a government statement released after the ministerial retreat held over the weekend in the resort town of Nyanga.

The Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Development, Dr. Samuel Undenge, released a statement that government ministers and key stakeholders agreed at the recently held 100 Day Plan retreat in Nyanga that STERP had achieved minimal progress following its inception earlier this year.

As part of its obligation to address the economic crisis in Zimbabwe, the inclusive Government came up with STERP to cover the period February to December 2009.

It is an emergency short-term programme to stabilise the macro and micro-economy, recover the levels of savings, investment and growth, and lay the basis of a more transformative mid-term to long-term economic programme that will turn Zimbabwe into a progressive developmental State.

STERP is part of implementation of the Global Political Agreement and also seeks to address the key issues of economic stabilisation and national healing, whilst at the same time laying the foundation of a more comprehensive and developmentalist economic framework which will succeed the same.

Lack of progress in meeting these objectives necessitated the extension of the programme amid concern that lack of resources undermined efforts to address economic issues.

The Zanu PF party says the sanctions regime imposed by Britain, US and their western allies have hampered progress in Zimbabwe. The party has actively campaigned for the lifting of sanctions that have crippled development in Zimbabwe.

STERP will expire at the end of this year.

Dr Undenge pointed out that government will closely monitor STERP to ensure that its objectives are realised.

Labels: SAMUEL UNDENGE, SANCTIONS, STERP, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 4:40 PM