Programme Exploration by Interpeace in Zimbabwe
Interpeace held discussions with representatives of Zimbabwe’s Parliament, State authorities and civil society during 2018 in order to assess if and how Interpeace’s peacebuilding approaches and experiences might support all Zimbabweans. The guiding considerations for these discussions were Zimbabwe’s stated national development goals and strategies combined with Interpeace’s mission.
Specifically, Interpeace held consultations in Zimbabwe during 2018 with representatives of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission; the Parliamentary Committee on Youth, Sports and Reconciliation; the Special Adviser to the President on Peace and Reconciliation; and, representatives of civil society, church bodies and youth. These consultations were received positively and were further encouraged by all concerned. They enabled Interpeace to gain an understanding of the current opportunities and challenges in Zimbabwe from the perspectives of a broad range of actors – just as Interpeace does in all its programme development initiatives.
The consultations were undertaken in line with Interpeace’s well-founded ‘Track 6’ approach: engaging at Track One level with government representatives and senior officials; Track Two level with civil society; and Track Three level with grassroots actors. Insofar as civil society is concerned in particular, Interpeace held a series of reflective and analytical consultations with a cross-section of civil society representatives. One of these consultations was held at Wild Geese Lodge in December 2018. From all of the discussions across all levels emerged a shared understanding of the needs and possible steps to be taken by Interpeace in collaboration with all actors in order to foster sustainable peace and development in Zimbabwe.
Interpeace’s work continues to be inclusive, participatory, and transparent.
