HARARE, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's central bank announced on Thursday that it has revised the country's growth forecast for this year down to two percent from a previous estimate of 3.5 percent.
In a statement, John Mushayavanhu, governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), noted that despite the effects of the El Nino-induced drought, the Zimbabwean economy has remained resilient and is expected to grow by about two percent this year.
The drought cut Zimbabwe's cereal production by 77 percent, leaving about 60 percent of the country's population food insecure and in need of food aid, according to the government.
In April, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster over the drought, and the government has appealed for more than 3 billion U.S. dollars to respond to the drought crisis.
According to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe's post-COVID-19 economic recovery has been strong and remains on a positive trajectory. ■
