USAID Assistance to Zimbabwe

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET

WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320

2002-057

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 26, 2002

Budget	FY 2001	FY 2002 (est.)	FY 2003 (request)
Development Assistance & Child Survival	$12.8 million	$10.0 million	$16.1 million
(of which HIV/AIDS totals)	($ 5.9 million)	($ 7.5 million)	($12.0 million)
Economic Support Funds	$ 3.3 million	$ 12.0 million	TBD
Total	$16.1 million	$22.0 million	$16.1 million+

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) program in Zimbabwe are mitigating the HIV/AIDS crisis, improving democracy and governance, and increasing access to economic opportunities.

PROGRAM AREAS

HIV/AIDS: USAID's family planning program has one of the best track records in Africa for instituting reproductive health services. Contraceptive use by Zimbabwean women now stands at 42 percent. However, some of these gains are threatened by the economic crisis. An estimated 30 percent of the sexually active population is HIV-positive and there will be nearly a million AIDS orphans by 2005. Through voluntary counseling and testing, USAID is focusing on translating increased public awareness about HIV into changes in sexual behavior that will lead to decreases in the rate of transmission.

Democratic Participation: USAID's objective here is to strengthen civil society and selected government institutions that show promise for reform (i.e., the Parliament, local government, land reform institutions). The intent is to assist non-governmental and governmental structures to allow Zimbabweans a greater degree of participation in economic and political decision-making, in order to make the government more responsive and more accountable to its citizenry.

Linkages for the Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged: In order to redress the impact of the current economic downturn on Zimbabwe's poor, USAID will encourage the expansion of micro-enterprise services . This will be accomplished by expanding micro-finance services into under-served peri-urban and rural areas; and providing business development services for business groups to enhance members' management, planning and marketing skills. A component of this program will be dedicated to helping mitigate the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on orphans and others affected by the disease.

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