Midlands State University (MSU) championed innovative welfare financing by co-hosting the 2026 Social Assistance and Social Protection Experts Network conference alongside the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, SASPEN, and the National University of Science and Technology at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo from 22 to 23 October 2026.
The international summit operated under the theme, โReimagining Social Protection Financing: Emerging Challenges, Fiscal Constraints, Shifting Trends and Strategic Opportunities.โ
This gathering anchored the broader Zimbabwe Social Protection Week observations that took place between 19 and 23 October.
Experts and delegates travelled from regional nations, including South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Ethiopia, to address declining donor support and mounting debt obligations.
Tackling these financial constraints requires a united front across all sectors of the economy.
Addressing the delegates during the opening session, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare for the Republic of Zimbabwe, Honourable E. Moyo, praised this multi-sector initiative.
โThis collaboration reflects a partnership between the Government, academia, civil society, development partners, and the private sector to advance sustainable social protection across our nation,โ the Minister stated.
Building on this call for unity, institutional leaders highlighted the vulnerabilities facing the African continent.
Representing the MSU Vice Chancellor, Professor V. N. Muzvidziwa, the MSU Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Industrialisation, Professor G. Mugumbate, delivered a call to action.
โAfrican societies continue to grapple with interconnected crises, from climate-induced shocks to rising inequality, which reinforces the need for robust social protection systems,โ Professor Mugumbate declared.
โWe must recognise social protection as a strategic investment in human capital, social cohesion, and economic productivity,โ she urged.
Scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines gathered to exchange knowledge on integrating digital technology and expanding social security to the informal economy.
Closing the conference, academic leaders challenged current regional resource mobilisation frameworks.
The MSU Executive Dean of Social Sciences, Professor T. Marambanyika, framed welfare funding as a non-negotiable priority.
โIn a world defined by economic uncertainty and demographic shifts, social protection serves as an investment in human dignity, social justice, and sustainable national development,โ Professor Marambanyika stated.
This conference reaffirmed the position of MSU as an innovative, world-class institution that leverages a dynamic research culture to modernise the economy and drive inclusive, sustainable industrialisation across Africa.
