Zimbabwe: National Decision Makers’ Forum on Sustainable Public Procurement – Food and Agriculture Organization

Report on the National Forum for Sustainable Public Procurement in Zimbabwe

Introduction and Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations, with a procurement volume of $25.7 billion in 2024, holds significant influence over global markets and development outcomes. This purchasing power directly impacts the advancement of numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Recognizing this, UN agencies are integrating sustainability criteria across their supply chains, making sustainable procurement a central pillar for achieving the 2030 Agenda. This initiative is particularly crucial for realizing SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), with a specific focus on Target 12.7, which calls for promoting sustainable public procurement practices.

In this context, the United Nations and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) are co-convening a National Decision Makers’ Forum on Sustainable Public Procurement. The event is scheduled for 2nd December 2025 and will assemble approximately 200 key stakeholders to strategically position public procurement as a catalyst for sustainable development in Zimbabwe.

Forum Objectives and Contribution to the SDGs

The forum is designed to achieve several key objectives, each directly contributing to specific SDGs:

1. Raise Awareness and Build Capacity: To enhance understanding of sustainable procurement practices that are gender-responsive (advancing SDG 5), disability-inclusive (advancing SDG 10), and incorporate the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), thereby strengthening institutional integrity (advancing SDG 16).
2. Foster Collaboration and Policy Development: To facilitate dialogue among government, the private sector, and civil society to align national procurement frameworks with global sustainability standards, directly supporting the implementation of SDG 12.7 and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
3. Promote Best Practices and Innovation: To create a platform for knowledge exchange on innovative and sustainable procurement tools and methodologies, fostering progress towards SDG 9 and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
4. Strengthen Accountability and Transparency: To reinforce ethical standards and transparent processes in public procurement, a critical component for building effective and accountable institutions as outlined in SDG 16.

Key Features and Expected Outcomes

The forum’s structure is designed to maximize engagement and produce actionable results aligned with the SDG framework.

Key Features

• Interactive plenary sessions and thematic breakout groups focusing on environmental sustainability, social value, and policy reform.
• Dedicated networking opportunities to build partnerships between public and private sector leaders, in line with SDG 17.
• Practical workshops for developing roadmaps for the implementation of national sustainable procurement strategies.

Expected Outcomes

• Increased knowledge and capacity among decision-makers to integrate SDG principles into procurement.
• Development of policy recommendations and actionable roadmaps to operationalize SDG 12.7 at the national level.
• Formation of strong public-private partnerships and enhanced engagement with a diverse supplier base, including SMEs, to promote SDG 8.
• Enhanced governance, transparency, and ethical standards in public procurement, contributing to SDG 16.

Target Audience and Registration Details

Target Audience

The forum targets decision-makers from a cross-section of society to ensure a comprehensive approach to sustainable development:

• Government Ministries and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ)
• United Nations Agencies and Development Partners
• Private Sector representatives, including Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), business managers, and entrepreneurs
• Civil Society Organizations and Academia
• Financial Institutions

Registration Information

• Registration Deadline: 12-November-2025 at 23:30 (local time)
• Registration Link: All interested parties are invited to register via the official REGISTRATION FORM.
• Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by a technical team. Successful applicants meeting the criteria will receive a formal invitation and a digital access pass. Due to limited capacity, registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Sustainable Public Procurement forum in Zimbabwe addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The connections are either explicitly stated or strongly implied through the forum’s objectives and themes.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: This is the most explicitly mentioned SDG. The article states, “Sustainable procurement is central to achieving SDG 12.7, which promotes responsible consumption and production.” The entire event is framed around transforming procurement to align with this goal.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The forum’s objective to “Raise Awareness & Build Capacity on sustainable, gender-responsive… procurement” directly links to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article mentions that UN purchases impact “decent work” and the forum targets the “Private Sector & SMEs.” By promoting inclusive procurement, the initiative supports the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, which is a key aspect of fostering sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The objective of promoting “disability-inclusive procurement” directly addresses SDG 10, which calls for reducing inequality within and among countries by empowering and promoting the social and economic inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The forum aims to “Strengthen Accountability & Transparency in procurement processes” and achieve “Enhanced governance and ethical standards.” These objectives are central to SDG 16, which focuses on building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific issues and objectives discussed, the following SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 12.7: Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities. The article explicitly names “SDG 12.7” as a central goal of sustainable procurement efforts by the UN.
• Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels. The objective of “gender-responsive” procurement is a practical application of this target, aiming to embed gender equality principles into national procurement policies.
• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. The focus on engaging “SMEs” and the “Private Sector” in sustainable procurement aligns with this target by creating economic opportunities.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The goal of “disability-inclusive procurement” is a direct measure to advance this target by ensuring persons with disabilities can participate in and benefit from economic activities.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The forum’s objective to “Strengthen Accountability & Transparency in procurement processes” directly supports the development of more transparent public institutions, which is the core of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators by their numerical codes. However, it implies several qualitative and process-based indicators through its “Expected Outcomes” that can be used to measure progress:

• For Target 12.7: An implied indicator is the development of national sustainable procurement frameworks. The expected outcome of “Policy recommendations and actionable roadmaps” serves as a direct measure of progress in implementing sustainable public procurement policies.
• For Target 5.c and 10.2: An implied indicator is the degree to which gender-responsive and disability-inclusive criteria are integrated into procurement policies. The objective to “Raise Awareness & Build Capacity” on these topics suggests that an increase in knowledge and subsequent policy changes would be key metrics.
• For Target 8.3: An implied indicator is the level of engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises. The expected outcome of “Strong partnerships and supplier engagement,” particularly with SMEs, can be used to measure the success of making procurement more inclusive and supportive of local economic growth.
• For Target 16.6: An implied indicator is the adoption of higher standards for governance in procurement. The expected outcome of “Enhanced governance and ethical standards” provides a clear, albeit qualitative, measure of progress towards building more accountable and transparent institutions.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: fao.org