USAID Strategic Economic Research and Analysis – Zimbabwe (SERA) Program Quarterly Progress Report

The report highlights key achievements and activities undertaken by the program during this period. Implementation of the SERA-supported study on Positioning the Tourism Sector for Growth was completed by the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU), culminating in a stakeholders' workshop held on March 26. The study aimed to identify opportunities for growth in the tourism sector and provide recommendations for policymakers. Additionally, completion of short-term technical assistance (STTA) field work for the study on financial and institutional sustainability for ZEPARU was achieved. This study aimed to assess the financial and institutional sustainability of ZEPARU and provide recommendations for improvement. The SERA program also supported the redesign and upgrading of the ZEPARU website, which serves as a central window for the dissemination of research products and other information on economic policy issues. The website upgrade aimed to enhance the accessibility and usability of ZEPARU's research outputs. Furthermore, approval was granted for three additional recipients to pursue Ph.D. programs in economics in South Africa, bringing the total number of SERA-funded bursary recipients to four. All 17 SERA-funded bursary recipients in the part-time M.Sc. program at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) successfully completed their exams for the first semester of the current academic year. The SERA program also supported external short-courses for economists, including two participants who attended a MEFMI regional training course on External Debt Operations and Management, and two others who attended a MEFMI regional course on Production of a Debt Statistical Bulletin. In terms of assistance to ZIMSTAT, the SERA-supported Poverty, Income and Consumption Expenditure (PICES) project was completed, formally launched on April 30, 2013. The project aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of poverty and income distribution in Zimbabwe. Management and administrative services were also a key focus area for the SERA program during this quarter. The program supported the management and administration of operations, including reports, planning for the management transition, and coordination with other USAID programs. The SERA program also provided training and capacity-building activities, including training parliamentarians, training of economists (short-term and long-term), workshops and other research dissemination events, support for the Central Business Register (CBR) and Census of Services (COS), and development of terms of trade statistics. Poverty and gender were also key cross-cutting issues addressed by the SERA program during this quarter. The program supported research and analysis on poverty, including the completion of the PICES project, and provided training and capacity-building activities to address gender disparities. Overall, the SERA program made significant progress during Program Quarter 6, achieving key milestones and activities that contributed to the program's objectives.