World Bank Says Zimbabwe Cannot Achieve Upper-Middle Income Goal by 2030

Zimbabwe is unlikely to achieve its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030, according to the World Bank.

This assessment presents a setback for the government, which has pointed to recent stability in inflation and exchange rates as indicators of successful economic reforms. The World Bank's warning comes as the country was removed from the bank's list of fragile and conflict-affected states on July 1, 2026, a move attributed to 8.3% growth, 2.9% inflation, and stronger institutions.

The government's National Development Strategy 2 prioritizes export diversification, trade, and investment facilitation to drive structural transformation and rural modernization. Meanwhile, CBZ Bank has received Sustainability Certification, aiming to integrate sustainability into its operations and business decisions to support enterprise development and investment. The certification was granted with recognition from the International Council of Sustainability Standards for Value-Driven Financial Institutions and the European Organisation for Sustainable Development. The World Bank has also stated that Zimbabwe requires deeper reforms to create jobs.