President Emmerson Mnangagwa has underscored Zimbabwe’s progress in tackling poverty and expanding access to education, healthcare, and social protection, as he addressed world leaders at the ongoing World Summit for Social Development in Doha.

Speaking before a global audience, President Mnangagwa highlighted that poverty levels in Zimbabwe have significantly declined, dropping from 62% to 38.3% according to the country’s latest survey. He attributed this improvement to targeted government programs and social interventions aimed at uplifting vulnerable communities.

“Government initiatives such as the Basic Education Assistance Model have positively impacted over 1.5 million learners annually, including children living with disabilities,” the President said, noting that such programs are central to building a more inclusive society.

On employment, President Mnangagwa emphasized that job creation and decent work remain core pillars of Zimbabwe’s development agenda. He drew attention to the national employment policy framework and the Decent Work Country Program, which support enterprise development, skills training, and infrastructure investment, aiming to create sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities for citizens.

Despite these achievements, the President acknowledged the ongoing global challenges. He reminded delegates that more than one billion people worldwide continue to live in multidimensional poverty. “This summit must be a call to action for the international community to renew a global pact for inclusive development, ensuring that policy rhetoric is matched with tangible resources and measurable outcomes,” he said.

The World Summit for Social Development, hosted in Doha, is primarily focused on eradicating poverty and advancing equitable social policies. President Mnangagwa’s address comes as nations seek strategies to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those aimed at reducing inequality and expanding access to essential services.

Zimbabwe’s participation at the summit reflects its commitment to integrating national development strategies with broader global social development objectives, while sharing lessons from its recent gains in poverty reduction and social protection programs.

His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has arrived in Doha, Qatar, where he will participate in the Second World Summit on Social Development, running from November 4 to 6, 2025.

The Zimbabwean leader was received at Hamad International Airport by His Excellency Ambassador Ibrahim Youssef Abdullah Fakhro, a senior official representing the Government of Qatar, as well as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar, Crispen Toga Mavodza.

The United Nations–led summit is a follow-up to the First World Summit on Social Development held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995, and aims to review global progress on commitments made under the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development.

The declaration focuses on poverty eradication,full and productive employment, and social integration as the foundation for sustainable social progress.

According to summit organizers, this year’s gathering will also focus on strategies to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasizing inclusive growth and social protection in the wake of global economic challenges.

President Mnangagwa is scheduled to deliver his address on Tuesday, November 4, where he is expected to outline Zimbabwe’s social development policies and ongoing reforms aimed at achieving Vision 2030, the country’s blueprint for attaining upper middle-income status.

The Second World Summit on Social Development has drawn participation from UN-affiliated governments, civil society organizations, and private sector   across the world, signaling renewed global commitment to social equity and sustainable progress.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected in Mutare, Manicaland Province, this Wednesday where he will officially commission the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Smart Silos and launch the 2026–2030 Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy.

The commissioning of the Smart Silos marks another milestone in the Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise the country’s grain storage and management systems in line with Vision 2030. The state of the art facilities, which include 14 Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven silos established across various parts of the country are designed to enhance efficiency, security, and quality control in the handling of strategic grain reserves.

Once fully operational, the new Smart Silos are expected to add an additional 750 000 tonnes of storage capacity to the national system. This will significantly boost Zimbabwe’s ability to manage grain stocks and respond to regional food security demands. The World Food Programme (WFP) has already recognised Zimbabwe as a regional food distribution hub, a status reinforced by such investments in advanced storage infrastructure.

The Smart Silo project falls under the Second Republic’s push to digitalise and industrialise key sectors of the economy, ensuring that agriculture remains the backbone of national development. Through the integration of AI technology, the facilities will be able to monitor temperature, moisture, and stock levels in real time, minimising post-harvest losses and improving decision making in food reserve management.

In addition to the commissioning ceremony, President Mnangagwa will also preside over the launch of the 2026–2030 Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy, which outlines Zimbabwe’s next phase of agricultural development.

The strategy aims to expand the country’s irrigable land from the current 220 000 hectares to nearly 500 000 hectares by 2030, a move expected to increase productivity and resilience against climate change. It also places emphasis on rural industrialisation, sustainable farming practices, and the empowerment of smallholder farmers through access to modern technologies, finance, and markets.

Government officials, farmers’ unions, development partners, and private sector representatives are expected to attend the event, which underscores the importance of agriculture in driving inclusive economic growth and food self sufficiency.

The Mutare event follows a series of nationwide infrastructure developments being rolled out under the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Programme, which seeks to position Zimbabwe as a regional leader in sustainable food production and distribution.