US$600m needed for Zim Idai Recovery Project
RUTENDO RORI
At least US$600m is needed to help Zimbabwe to fully recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai that hit three provinces more than two years ago after the World Bank chipped in with US$72m, a United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) official has said.
The cyclone struck Chimanimani and Chipinge districts in Manicaland and some parts of Mashonaland East and Masvingo provinces.
Speaking during a tour of projects under the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) in Manicaland this week, UNOPS partnership liaison officer Clement Mhlanga said US$600m was required from the initial budget after the World Bank provided US$72m which was used to rebuild community infrastructure and restore livelihoods through cash transfers, restoring agricultural crops and livestock production of revitalising basic healthcare services.
“Since the goal of ZIRP is not simply to restore what was lost, but to build back better and smarter so that communities emerge with greater resilience, US$700m was needed and the World Bank provided US$72m in grant funding to reach the most affected communities across nine districts,” Mhlanga said.
“Therefore, at least US$600m is needed for the affected communities to fully recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai.”
Added Mhlanga: “As part of the overall Idai crisis response, ZIRP has used the funds to mitigate impact on the most affected communities and lay the foundation for regional recovery and longer-term resilience.
The nine districts that were mostly affected are: Bikita, Buhera, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Chikomba, Gutu, Mutasa, Mutare Urban, Mutare Rural as well as locations with internally displaced populations and refugees.”
ZIRP is a partnership between the World Bank and the UN to address the early and medium-term resilient disaster recovery needs of Cyclone Idai-affected communities in Zimbabwe. It marks one of the first-ever integrated engagements with a range of UN agencies under one umbrella project.
Mhlanga said ZIRP was working closely with the government to build resilience in local communities and support the establishment of a countrywide disaster and resilience framework.
He said initial damage assessments concluded that US$557.7m was needed to support Zimbabwe’s recovery and restore damaged infrastructure and livelihoods. The figure rose to US$700m due to the need to build back better and smarter so that communities emerge with greater resilience.
ZIRP has so far used funds from the World Bank to assist farmers to regain their livelihoods, children and teachers to return to school, persons with medical conditions to receive care and treatment, medical professionals to boost their technical capacity, and village health workers to reach those who cannot reach the health care centres.
Currently, work is in progress on four access roads (Nyamusundu, Ruwedza, Tumira and Tanganda-Nyunga) in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.
Cyclone Idai struck Zimbabwe in March 2019 and destroyed over 50 000 households affecting 270 000 people, including 60 000 who were forced out of their homesteads and farmlands.
The storm and subsequent flooding and landslides left 340 people dead and hundreds missing.
