Zim re-engagement drive goes gear up
Zvamaida Murwira recently in NEW YORK, US
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa took Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement crusade a gear up at the justended 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York following high- level meetings with Commonwealth Secretary-General Mrs Patricia Scotland and investment discussions with Scandinavian countries.
This came as calls for the reform of the United Nations Security Council grew louder with the African Union voicing concern on the lack of movement on the issue.
President Mnangagwa was among several Heads of State and Governments who attended the UN General Assembly that was held under the theme “Galvanising multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion”.
The Head of State and Government held several high-level meetings with Mrs Scotland, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, African Development Bank executives, American politicians and businesspeople, global media gurus, representatives from the World Food Programme and also convened a dinner with investors in the health sector.
President Mnangagwa also addressed the General Assembly where he said Zimbabwe remained committed to engage with any country to deepen relations in a mutually beneficial arrangement. “The engagement and re-engagement with all countries of world towards returning Zimbabwe to its rightful place within the comity of nations is yielding notable progress. Our arms remain outstretched with a genuine heart of friendship and cooperation, to all those willing to take this new and exciting journey of Zimbabwe’s rebirth,”
In an interview after the visit, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said President Mnangagwa continued with his re-engagement programme in New York where he met both American businesspersons and politicians.
“Above all, the President managed to continue with his programme of re-engagement, particularly with different communities. He met Americans, not only from a political perspective but business, Americans who were actually committed. He addressed business meetings where he was invited. This is why a lot of businesspeople were questioning the relevance of sanctions, why sanctions are still there yet there are opportunities which could be (exploited) by corporates,” said Minister Moyo.
He described the visit by President Mnangagwa as a major success for Zimbabwe. Bsides the re-engament thrust, the President also attended UN high-level meetings which included a review of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure
they were enacted within a strategic plan for member states.
“The second point is that we managed to communicate the fact that Zimbabwe was now a going concern emanating from a very dilapidated background which was characterised by isolation to a major reformer with both political and legislative reforms.
“That message was put across by the President,” said Minister Moyo. “I am happy to say a lot of other member states of SADC stood the test of time according to an agreement made in Tanzania calling for the removal of sanctions, There was quite a lot of interest from the whole spectrum of interests, from Israelites, Norway after President (Mnangagwa) met the Norwegian prime minister,” he said.