Itai Mazire

Zimbabwe’s gold deliveries rebounded sharply in April, rising 16.5 percent to 3,324.6 kilograms (kg) from March’s slump of 2,854kg, driven by a resurgence from artisanal miners.

However, the recovery masks a deeper, more worrying trend-total deliveries are still 6.1 percent down compared to April last year, raising fresh concerns about the sustainability of the sector’s record-breaking growth.

“The main engine of the recovery was the artisanal and small-scale (ASM) sector, which accounts for roughly 75 percent of the country’s gold output. ASM deliveries surged 20.7 percent month-on-month to 2,110.7kg, shaking off a weak March when policy missteps and seasonal rains had stifled activity. Large-scale miners also recorded gains, delivering 1,213.9kg, up 9.8 percent from March,” stated the Zimbabwe’ economic review in a statement.

But beneath the headline recovery lies a volatile reality: ASM deliveries have collapsed 27.9 percent year-on-year, underscoring the fragility of a sector now grappling with formalisation pressures, payment disruptions and persistent smuggling.

Large-scale miners, by contrast, have strengthened their position, delivering 22.6 percent more gold than a year ago, signalling that formal mines are finally stabilising after years of underinvestment.

Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector has emerged as the unlikely engine of the nation’s gold economy, delivering 34.9 tonnes in 2025, nearly 75 percent of the country’s record output of 46.7 tonnes.

This surge transformed gold into Zimbabwe’s dominant export, generating over US$3.2 billion in 2025 alone and accounting for roughly 14.5% of GDP and 76% of total export earnings.

But beneath these impressive numbers lies a sector on shaky ground.
Approximately 85 percent of ASM operators remain unregistered, with over one million miners operating outside formal structures.

Persistent gold smuggling, estimated at over USD 1.5 billion annually, continues to bleed the Treasury of desperately-needed revenue.

Itai Mazire

Zimbabwe’s top health diplomat, Dr. Aspect Maunganidze, closed back‑to‑back sessions of the World Health Organization’s powerful Programme Budget and Administration Committee (PBAC) with a resounding declaration of consensus, clearing the way for sweeping reforms to global health governance and UN financing.

After four days of intense scrutiny from 12 to 15 May, the 43rd and 44th PBAC meetings, chaired by Dr. Maunganidze in his capacity as Secretary for Health and Child Care, delivered a package of binding recommendations to the 79th World Health Assembly, which opens on 18 May.

In his closing remarks, a Dr. Maunganidze told delegates, “We managed to provide clear recommendations to the 79th World Health Assembly and the 159th Executive board meeting including on matters related to the Financing and Implementation of the Programme Budget, Human Resources, audit, compliance and evaluation matters.”

The committee, which acts as the Executive Board’s fiscal watchdog, also hammered out agreement on highly sensitive political files.

“That they reached consensus on key issues for the consideration of the Health Assembly, including, the draft amended decision on the reform of the global health architecture and the UN80 initiative,” said Dr Maunganidze.

In a final stroke, the PBAC chair announced that the committee had united behind a landmark governance overhaul.

“Further, we agreed to recommend that the EB159 adopt the draft decision on future modalities of the governance reform pilot.”

The twin sessions, held just days before the World Health Assembly’s 18 May kick‑off, saw Dr. Maunganidze preside over granular debates on WHO’s programme budget, human resources, audit trails, compliance and evaluation.

The outcome now goes to the 159th Executive Board for adoption, before landing on the floor of the Health Assembly for final ratification.

Diplomats in Geneva described the meetings as “unusually efficient”, with the Zimbabwean chair credited for holding the line on transparency while forging unanimity on the UN80 financing roadmap and the new governance pilot.

Dr. Maunganidze is expected to remain in Geneva to present the PBAC’s report directly to WHO’s Executive Board ahead of the Assembly’s opening plenary.

Zimbabwe has taken a major step toward industrialisation and digital transformation with the launch of the locally assembled Avantis Parote 1030i laptop.

The initiative supports the country’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0 programme and Vision 2030 goals aimed at promoting innovation and local production.

The project is a partnership between and , an associate company of . The laptops are being assembled at the Microsoft-certified ZITCO facility located in Msasa, Harare.

Government officials said the move will help reduce dependence on imported computer hardware while creating employment opportunities in the country’s ICT sector.

The locally assembled laptops are expected to benefit students, government departments, and small-to-medium enterprises.

The Avantis product range includes several Intel-powered notebooks under the P-series brand, with prices generally ranging between US$350 and US$550 depending on specifications.

The company also revealed plans to export a large percentage of the locally assembled devices to regional markets, positioning Zimbabwe as a growing technology hub in Southern Africa.

Speaking at the launch, ICT Minister Mavetera said the initiative supports Zimbabwe’s drive toward digital sovereignty and will strengthen digital learning programmes in schools.

“Assembling laptops locally allows the country to develop products suited to local conditions and maintenance needs,” she said.

The launch comes after other local industrial projects, including the manufacturing of medical oxygen and electricity transformers, as Zimbabwe continues efforts to boost domestic production and technological innovation.