The African Development Bank, in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe, is set to host a three-day training workshop and high-level policy dialogue in Victoria Falls from 3 to 5 September 2025. The initiative will focus on tackling illicit financial flows (IFFs) and managing resource-backed loans (RBLs) within the country’s natural resources sector, a critical area for Zimbabwe’s economic resilience.
The event forms part of the Bank’s Governing Natural Resource Outflows for Enhanced Economic Resilience in Fragile and Transitional Countries (GONAT) project. It is designed to strengthen the capacity of Zimbabwean government officials in monitoring, analyzing, and governing the natural resources sector to reduce leakages and improve long-term sustainability.
The first two days of the program will deliver technical training, while the third day will host a policy dialogue involving a broad range of stakeholders, including government representatives, the private sector, civil society organizations, women entrepreneurs, and local communities. This multi-stakeholder engagement aims to create a shared understanding and collective solutions to the challenges posed by IFFs and RBLs.
The training will follow two main tracks: the first will focus on monitoring and controlling illicit activities in the natural resources sector, while the second will concentrate on analyzing, negotiating, and managing resource-backed loans. Participants from various government ministries and agencies, including those responsible for fiscal management, debt oversight, central banking, anti-corruption, and natural resources management, will also exchange experiences to enhance institutional learning and sustainability.
The policy dialogue will help integrate tools and methodologies introduced during the training into national policies, while disseminating findings and policy recommendations to encourage stronger national dialogue and coordinated actions. This approach is expected to advance good governance in natural resource management and strengthen Zimbabwe’s ability to counter illicit practices.
Illicit financial flows continue to undermine sustainable economic development across resource-rich African nations. By focusing on these pressing issues, the Zimbabwe event represents a critical step toward building resilience and improving governance in the sector.
This workshop will be the fifth in a series under the GONAT project, following earlier sessions held in the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Mozambique, reflecting the Bank’s broader commitment to strengthening natural resources governance across the continent.
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