Mr Chairman,

On behalf of the Africa Group and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I would like to join others in expressing our pleasure and support for IFAD activities in Africa. This years’ theme “Achieving the millennium development goals by enabling the rural poor to overcome their poverty” is being discussed at the opportune time taking note of the changing weather patterns resulting in persistent droughts and floods.

These weather patterns are negatively affecting food security thus exacerbating the rural poor among developing countries. It is against this backdrop, Mr Chairman, that we are encouraged by IFAD’s refocusing of its strategies to ensure that the poor are empowered to overcome their poverty.

The current IFAD’s activities in Africa have given us a number of lessons. The outstanding one, ladies and gentlemen, is the participatory approach, which is IFAD’s core thrust in sustainable increase in incomes, and through it enhanced food security for the rural poor. I commend the approach and urge IFAD to replicate it on a larger scale, as it is enabling the rural poor to solve their problems on their own given the necessary technical support.

The development of an Evaluation Framework including the release of “Managing for impact in rural development – a guide for project monitoring and evaluation” by IFAD show commitment in ensuring that every investment made has an impact on poverty reduction.

To further enhance IFAD’s effectiveness in reducing poverty the Africa Group commends IFAD for setting up two committees to examine:

(a) The establishing of field presence to assist countries in implementation of projects. It is our belief, Mr Chairman, that managing projects at the international office in Rome compromises the commitment of the Governing Council to enable the rural poor to overcome their poverty.

IFAD needs to understand the needs of the individual customers and this can only be achieved through proximity.

(b) The introduction of the performance based approach to IFAD’s project. This is important but we feel that this can only be achieved if and when the projects respond to real need; this differs from state to state because of differences in extension system, receiving cultures and the working environment that includes field presence.

The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to implement IFAD resolutions so as to empower the poor to overcome their poverty. The current food crisis facing Southern Africa following the two consecutive droughts of 2001 and 2002 forced us to prioritise the objectives. For us, feeding the 7 million who needed food assistance became a priority of utmost importance, against our wish, we had to default certain commitments and the IFAD subscription became an inevitable victim. This led to a suspension of the IFAD country programme. Despite the suspension of disbursement to ongoing IFAD programmes, the Government has pledged resources for the continuation of the projects whose thrust is poverty eradication. In this regard, Mr. Chairman, my government is exploring avenues to reschedule its repayment in order to enable the poor to benefit. The challenges we face are not and will not be unique to my country. In this vein, I hope IFAD will accommodate within its plan for the special circumstances that member states may experience temporarily, IFAD should not abandon the poor in such circumstances that is when they need the assistance more, but it should work out some way of holding out the olive branch. Otherwise IFAD ceases to be an institution for the poor if its focus is only on those in an able situation to meet the contractual arrangements.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Africa Group commends our partners from the developed world for having concluded the negotiations and made pledges for the 6th replenishment to ensure that IFAD plans for projects with certainty. We, the recipients’ countries, will continue to play our part within our means. We realise that the success of IFAD projects signals the improvement of the standard of living among the rural poor, who, at 70%, make up the majority of our population.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, allows me to congratulate IFAD on its 25th anniversary as well as the President of IFAD for being in office for two years. During this 25-years period IFAD has distinguished itself as the only institution that direct its investment resources to the plight of the poor. For the first time in the history of this world the poor now have an opportunity to lead their own development. As Africa Group our own main lesson in the 25 years is the importance of participation. We hope this will be translated to the management of IFAD projects, that as part of the List C the Africa Group will have increased participation in numerical terms on the IFAD board so that our sub-regions are represented to put forward those issues pertinent to the respective sub-regions.

On behalf of the Africa Group and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe we wish IFAD, its President and staff success in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We assure you our continued and unwavering support.

Thank you.