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

as the prime implementing partner. The four-year program has three Strategic Objectives: Improved economic environment for inclusive growth through evidence-based policy analysis and research, Strengthened capacity for policy development institutions, and Improved economic data for use by researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders. To achieve these objectives, the program is structured to produce four major results: Improved human capacity for evidence-based economic policy analysis and policy management, Strengthened institutional capacity in Government Departments for analyzing, adapting and implementing evidence-based economic policy options, Strengthened research institutions providing analytical support to the economic policy process in response to needs of policy makers, and Improved quality, timeliness, and availability of economic data and statistics. The SERA contract defines three components of services and tasks required to produce the intended results: Management and Administrative Services, Technical Services: Assistance to the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis & Research Unit (ZEPARU), and Technical Services: Assistance to ZIMSTAT. Nathan is pursuing these services and tasks via two principal counterpart agencies: the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU); and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT). The program's management and administration activities mainly addressed start-up operations during the first quarter. The SERA team developed and managed two short-term technical assistance (STTA) assignments, held regular liaison meetings with USAID, and produced all required reports. Initial activities included locating and leasing the field office, procuring furniture and equipment for the office, recruiting support staff, and establishing a functional project team. The SERA team also conducted start-up activities, including the arrival of the Project Director, Peter Miller, and Project Coordinator, Fiona McDonald, from Nathan's head office, and the Chief of Party (COP), Dr. Bruce Bolnick, who arrived on October 15. The second Key Personnel team member, Resident Advisor Dr. Daniel Ndlela, began work part-time beginning October 17 and joined the project full time in November. The SERA team is required to submit Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) to USAID/Zimbabwe, which include progress made on activities and on performance results of USAID/Zimbabwe's Economic Growth Strategic Objective (SO) indicators. The present QPR covers Quarter 1 of the SERA performance period, for October-December, 2011, and discusses progress during this period on each of the services and tasks outlined above, along with updates on SERA M&E indicators that can be measured quarterly. The SERA team is working closely with ZEPARU and ZIMSTAT to strengthen their human and institutional capacity, provide evidence-based research to the government in areas of vital policy concern, rebuild the statistical foundations for economic studies and policy management, and create platforms for research dissemination and public discussion of research findings.