Zimbabwe has been named among 13 poor countries in sub-Saharan Africa which have recorded an improvement in policy for growth and poverty reduction, the World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment has reported.
The assessment has been used since 1980 to determine the allocation of zero-interest financing under the International Development Association, the World Bank group’s fund for the world’s poorest countries.
It covers economic management, structural reforms, policies for social inclusion and equity, public sector management and institutions. “More broadly, most African countries show a stable or improved policy environment for development.
“This positive trend is especially important given the more severe economic climate being weathered by other countries, most notably in the developed world,” the World Bank said in the report.
Countries are rated on a scale of one (low) to six (high) for each indicator. Zimbabwe scored 2,2. “Fragile” and conflict-affected countries in the region show much lower scores than non-fragile states, reflecting the challenges they face, especially in the area of public sector capacity. Nevertheless, some of them are making fast progress.
Three of the countries that improved the most classified as “fragile” states were Comoros, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe.
“For example, where reforms are deeply political or by nature incremental, they tend to improve slowly and lag other areas,” the report reads.
According to the report, performance in economic management led all other areas on the continent.
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It said as a result of several years of prudent macroeconomic policies, African countries entered the 2008-2009 global economic crisis with policy space to counter external shocks.
Other countries adjudged to have improved in policy for growth and poverty reduction, according to the report include Comoros, Congo Republic, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Togo and Zambia.
