Foreign diplomats clean up Mbare market

SEVERAL foreign missions accredited to Zimbabwe yesterday conducted a clean-up exercise at Mbare market in Harare as part of Kenyan embassy’s Wangari Maathai Day celebrations.

The late Maathai was a Kenyan social, environmental and political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yesterday’s clean-up campaign was held under the theme Environmental Diplomacy, Supporting Clean Environments for Business Progress.

“The embassy had dedicated the celebration by focusing on environmental and climatic change issues being part of Kenya’s foreign policy focus. Climate change and the management of our environment occupy a critical space not only in global debates, but remain fundamentally of critical concern even at our global level,” Kenyan ambassador Stella Munyi said.

Ambassadors and country representatives from Canada, Japan, Namibia, Malawi, South Sudan, Malaysia, Ghana, Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria were present.

Ghanaian ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa said: “Ghana and Zimbabwe have a sentimental relationship that goes beyond diplomatic ties and anything that concerns Zimbabwe concerns Ghana. Scenes like this are reminiscent of some of the things that we experience in Ghana plus it is our corporate social responsibility in Zimbabwe.”

Japan’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tanaka Satoshi said: “The environment is very important and having previously worked for an environmental ministry, I am happy to be associated with a clean-up exercise that will leave our surroundings clean.”