Government Launches Databases to Mobilise Retirees and Diaspora Skills for Vision 2030

Government has launched national databases to mobilise retired professionals and diaspora skills (image source)

HARARE — Government has launched two national databases aimed at harnessing the skills, experience and expertise of retired professionals and Zimbabweans living in the diaspora, in a move officials say will unlock critical human-capital resources to accelerate economic growth, innovation and service delivery under Vision 2030.

The databases were unveiled in Harare on Tuesday by the Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Professor Paul Mavhima, who described the initiative as a strategic shift in how Zimbabwe identifies, organises and deploys its intellectual assets. He said the country possesses a deep pool of skills that has remained largely untapped due to the absence of a centralised system.

“Zimbabwe is richly endowed with skills, experience and knowledge,” Prof Mavhima said. “Many retired professionals still carry invaluable institutional memory, while Zimbabweans in the diaspora are excelling globally in sectors such as engineering, health, ICT, finance and science. Until now, there has been no coordinated mechanism to systematically map and mobilise these capabilities.”

He said the new platforms are designed to transform previously fragmented and informal expertise into strategic national assets that can support economic planning, sector coordination and targeted interventions across both the public and private sectors.

The initiative aligns with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, the National Development Strategy frameworks (NDS1 and NDS2), and the Education 5.0 philosophy, which prioritises innovation, industrialisation and problem-solving rooted in national development needs. Officials said the databases will strengthen skills planning, improve deployment for priority projects and enable rapid mobilisation of specialists for short-term assignments, advisory roles and mentorship programmes.

Under the framework, retired professionals will be invited to register their qualifications, areas of experience and availability for consultancy or mentorship. Diaspora participants will submit information on their specialisations, geographic location and willingness to contribute either remotely or through in-country engagements. The databases are expected to feature search and matching functions, allowing ministries, state-owned enterprises and private firms to identify and engage suitable expertise efficiently.

Stakeholders welcomed the move but stressed the importance of effective implementation. Business groups said the databases could significantly reduce skills gaps in critical sectors if supported by incentives for short-term deployments and simplified contracting processes. Civil society organisations called for strong data protection measures, transparency in selection and deployment, and merit-based engagement to avoid politicisation.

Analysts said the long-term success of the initiative will depend on sustained funding, strong governance structures and integration with existing human-resource planning systems. They also highlighted the need for monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure the impact of deployed expertise on service delivery, productivity and project outcomes.

Government officials said the platforms are expected to become a central tool for national development planning, enabling Zimbabwe to actively leverage its retired professionals and diaspora workforce as partners in industrialisation, innovation and public-sector reform as the country advances towards Vision 2030.