Debt: On 15 March, the Ministry of Finance convened a multi stakeholder Debt and Arrears Clearance Strategy Forum to deliberate on current thinking, and various options on addressing Zimbabwe’s debt. At this meeting, Deputy Prime Minster Arthur Mutambara announced the creation of a Debt Management Office (DMO) in the Ministry of Finance which will coordinate work on managing the public debt.14 Creation of a DMO follows precedents in the region and best practices towards the creation of professional ‘one stop’ structures within finance ministries to manage public debt. The meeting also assessed in detail various options for Zimbabwe to address its current debt situation. National Statistics: With the support from the African Development Bank, the Government, in a bid to improve national statistics and update surveys that have been lagging behind, commenced a process to revamp the Central Statistics Office which has been renamed Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT). Media reported that the new agency had started “carrying out surveys on the CIP, the Quarterly Employment Inquiry, the Business Tendency Survey, the Volumes of Manufacturing Index and the Use of Information Communications Technology by Businesses Survey”15. Additionally, the preparatory –mapping– stage for a national census is underway. Food security: An inter-ministerial committee was established to rehabilitate irrigation schemes focusing mainly on low rainfall areas. The agricultural minister claims that work was already underway to evaluate present schemes and come up with appropriate methods of intervention. On benchmark 2: Formation of National Economic Council: Efforts finally took off to establish the NEC. The government has invited members of various sectors to nominate representatives to serve on this body. The broad terms of reference of the NEC is to give “advice to Government, formulating economic plans and programmes for approval by government and such other functions as are assigned to the Council by the Government.”16 This is a first step; however, the NEC has not yet been established, 18 months since the formation of the Inclusive Government. NON-COMPLIANCE On Benchmark 1; Develop and implement economic recovery strategies and plans to address issues of production, food security, poverty and unemployment and the challenges of high inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate. Economic Indigenisation and Empowerment Regulations: While the cabinet agreed on a few amendments to the Bill, controversy and uncertainty still persists. Government officials continue to issue contradictory statements on the policy. While empowerment is welcome it should not negatively affect existing businesses, but rather aim at increasing current investment and productivity levels17. For the period under review the Zimbabwe stock exchange suffered negatively from the promulgation  Debt and Arrears Clearance Strategy Forum, Wilde Geese, Harare, 15 March 2010. 14  The Financial Gazette, Thursday 20 May, 2010 15  ìNEC to be formed by Marchî in the Sunday Mail Business, 14-20 February 2010. 16  .îEconomic Empowerment: Fine Words but Flawed Ideasî, The Zimbabwean on Sunday, 21 March 2010. ìImminent Pitfalls of Indigenization; The Financial 17 Gazette, 17-23 June 2010. CIVIL SOCIETY MONITORING MECHANISM (CISOMM) SIX MONTH SHADOW REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INCLUSIVE OF ZIMBABWE 14