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Roundtable discussion report: Re-thinking aid policy in response to Zimbabwe's protracted crisis
Karen Proudlock and Stefanie Busse, ODI
June 04, 2007

Presented at Roundtable discussion: Re-thinking aid policy in response to Zimbabwe's protracted crisis

http://www.odi.org.uk/pppg/poverty_and_inequality/Events/2007_Zim_Roundtable/ZimConfReport.pdf

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1. Introduction

Zimbabwe is in the grip of its worst humanitarian crisis since the start of majority rule. Life expectancy has plummeted to 36 and is expected to fall to 27 years by 2010, 1.4 million people are in need of food aid, the economy has shrunk faster than any other in peace time and has the highest inflation rate in the world.

Against this background, the UK Overseas Development Institute hosted a closed Roundtable discussion on re-thinking aid policy in response to the crisis, on June 4th 2007.

The main objective of the Roundtable was to bring together researchers, practitioners and policy makers to share and review evidence and experiences from the field to inform a coordinated response to the crisis. Discussions were enriched by plenary presentations.

2. Welcome and opening remarks: Simon Maxwell, Director ODI.

Simon Maxwell began by outlining the overall objective of the meeting: to better understand how research can inform policy processes and decisions taken within and outside Zimbabwe.

He posed two key questions:

a) What kind of humanitarian programme can we expect to see and what are the links between humanitarian programming and long-term development assistance?

b) How can we begin to prepare for a political transition? What are the institutional obstacles?

He stated that the reconstruction of failed and fragile states is currently very much on international policy agendas and emphasised the importance of linking this wider experience to the specific case of Zimbabwe. Before introducing the first speaker, he listed four guiding questions that would structure the workshop discussion:

1) Is Zimbabwe under or over aided: How best should the international community support the protection of rights and well-being of people in Zimbabwe?

2) What does the future hold for Zimbabwe?

3) How should the international community support Zimbabwe's reconstruction (aid instruments and conditions and timing of support)?

4) What lessons can the international community draw from the chain of event in Zimbabwe?

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