The economic fallout of the Corona pandemic caused a worldwide recession not seen since the Great Depression. The shock, described as “crisis like no other”, has hit countries on the African continent in an already dire debt situation.

Even prior to the corona pandemic, 124 developing countries were in a more or less critical debt situation. Even representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are concerned of 2021 becoming the beginning of a lost development decade in the absence of immediate and ambitious action.

Zimbabwe has been in a long-lasting debt crisis for years. The health and economic impacts of the pandemic aggravate the situation of the local population even more.

In April 2020, the 20 most powerful countries, the G20, agreed on debt relief measures for 73 lower income countries in order to support them in fighting the impact of the pandemic. Originally, Zimbabwe was part of this list, but, due to payment arrears to the World Bank, has been cancelled subsequently. Many voices from civil society, academics and politics are in deep concern and demand debt relief.

We invite you to a discussion on the economic and social situation in Zimbabwe in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as on the current political reform initiatives. At the center will be the understanding of perspectives and demands of Zimbabwean civil society in order to effectively exit the debt crisis.