dyton mupawaenda
Farirai Machivenyika
Recently appointed ambassadors must take their cue from President Mnangagwa in advancing national interests, Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Rofina Chikava said yesterday.
The new ambassadors-designate are Mark Grey Marongwe for Russia, Visitor Jerry Mutumhe for Equatorial Guinea, Lieutenant General (Rtd) David Sigauke for DRC and Hellen Dingane for Tanzania and they are now undergoing their specialised training and orientation before taking up their posts.
“Allow me to once again congratulate you on your appointment by His Excellency President Mnangagwa to represent Zimbabwe and her interests in the comity of nations,” Ambassador Chikava said.
“Your appointments are a clear sign of the confidence that His Excellency President Mnangagwa, as the chief diplomat, has in you. It is also a recognition of the sacrifices you have made in the services of your country.
“This diplomatic training course aims to equip you with the requisite knowledge for the execution of the duties bestowed upon you.
“The training also gives you a prognosis of what lies ahead of you, the responsibility and the deliverable expected of you by the appointing authority. Key to them all is the need to safeguard Zimbabwe interests before advancing your interests.”
Putting Zimbabwe’s interests first, she added, was a motto the new diplomats should carry on their sleeves.
“As heads of mission, you must represent Zimbabwe, taking direction from presidential proclamations and directives.
“It is a requisite of you to understand the maintenance of Zimbabwe’s foreign policy under the Second Republic is embedded in engagement, re-engagement and reaffirmation.
“Your role is to identify opportunities beneficial to Zimbabwe and how best to exploit them for the benefit of the country,” Ambassador Chikava said.
She reiterated that the Second Republic, through its foreign policy thrust on economic diplomacy, was keen to explore new frontiers in trade and investment and harness the potential abounding in Zimbabwe’s diaspora.
“ Let us keep at the back of our minds that it is our duty as Zimbabwe to develop our country, hence we are leaving no one behind. As pronounced by His Excellency, Nyika Inovakwa Nevayo, Elizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi balo.
“Let us go there and explore every opportunity for the benefit of our country as we move towards making Zimbabwe an upper-middle-income economy by the year 2030,” she said.
Online Reporter