President leaves for Dubai
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa left for Dubai, United Arab Emirates last night to lead the country at tomorrow’s Zimbabwe National Day at the ongoing Dubai 2020 Expo.
He was seen off at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Chiwenga, Government ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Service Chiefs.
Zimbabwe has a pavilion in Dubai and all countries participating at the Dubai 2020 Expo have been recognised by way of hosting their National Days. Zimbabwe’s participation since last year, culminated in the Zimbabwe-Dubai Media Day and Networking Event held yesterday, and now the National Day.
President Mnangagwa is expected to arrive in Dubai this morning.
He will have little time to rest as he is set to address about 200 Zimbabweans in the Diaspora at 2pm Dubai time (midday in Zimbabwe), at the St Regis Down Town.
In an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the UAE, Lovemore Mazemo, said preparations for President Mnangagwa’s arrival, and the holding of a number engagements headlined by the Zimbabwe National Day, were at an advanced stage.
“All is set. The Diaspora Engagement Forum is at 1400hrs and will be the first engagement on the programme. Between 150 and 200 Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora are expected to attend the engagement,” said Ambassador Mazemo.
Tomorrow will be the big day, the Zimbabwe National Day or simply Honour Day.
Each country participating in the Expo 2020 Dubai has been recognised and celebrated with a National or Honour Day.
A number of countries including Uganda, Egypt, the UAE, Indonesia, Burundi, Algeria, Malawi and Belarus have already held their National Day commemorations.
Others will have their chances until the expo ends on March 31. Expo 2020 Dubai Zimbabwe Pavilion Commissioner General, Ambassador Mary Mubi, said preparations for the National Day were at an advanced stage.
“There will also be a Business Conference, which for us is an extremely important event because it’s the culmination of the conversations that started in various sector events,” said Ambassador Mubi.
“All the conversations we have had in the last six months will be amplified on that day (tomorrow). The National Day event will be an opportunity for His Excellency to visit the pavilion and be shown around as it will be his first time to visit the expo.
“There will be official parts of the National Day programme such as flag raising, having cultural group performances and speeches at the Al-Wasl Plaza, which is a pattern with all the nations and it will be a proud moment for Zimbabwe and the focus will be on Zimbabwe.”