A/HRC/34/8 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-sixth session from 31 October to 11 November 2016. The review of Zimbabwe was held at the 5th meeting, on 2 November 2016. The delegation of Zimbabwe was headed by the Vice-President and Minister for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Emmerson D. Mnangagwa. At its 10th meeting, held on 4 November 2016, the Working Group adopted the report on Zimbabwe. 2. On 12 January 2016, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Zimbabwe: Kenya, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the United Arab Emirates. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Zimbabwe: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/ZWE/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/ZWE/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/ZWE/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Zimbabwe through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation reiterated the commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe to its human rights obligations and its appreciation for the universal periodic review mechanism. 6. Since the previous review, the National Steering Committee comprising of government and other multi-stakeholder representatives had been established. A national plan of action for the implementation of accepted recommendations had been adopted, with the National Steering Committee monitoring the process. A midterm report on the progress made in the implementation of recommendations had been submitted. 7. The effects of climate change had adversely affected the implementation of social and economic rights. The negative impact of the drought meant that resources had to be redirected away from national social programmes towards the provision of food to over 800,000 vulnerable households. Although the continued imposition of economic sanctions by some Western countries had severely limited the fiscal space and economic growth, compounding the challenges faced in mobilizing resources for social services, the Government had undertaken initiatives such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socioeconomic Transformation, which was the economic blueprint for achieving 3