Kundhavi Kadiresan, World Bank Country Director for Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, said this week: "We are trying to understand the obstacles to resumption in normal World Bank activities in Zimbabwe, mainly arrears and a fragile policy environment. There are limited grants for Zimbabwe, currently only Beitbridge water and sanitation for US$2,9 million, US$1 million for public works piloting, and the completion of US$15 million to support material and child health care in the districts."
Kadiresan, who was in Zimbabwe with her team to meet ministers handling the country's economic and finance ministries, said there was, however, policy dialogue between the country and her organisation based in Washington, D.C in the United States of America.
She said Zimbabwe was not doing too badly economically, but it still needed to improve economic management policies, rehabilitate the government and stop ghost workers getting cash from the payroll.
"We are now more concerned about agricultural reforms and agricultural recovery such as small grants in the past for inputs and are also focussing more on investment dialogue," Kadiresan said.
She said the World Bank was closely watching Zimbabwe especially on its very "fragile business environment" especially property rights in the context of agrarian reforms and "controversial" economic empowerment.
Post published in: Business