Online Reporter
FROM the Pierre Schori drama on February 16, 2002, the imposition of sanctions two days later, the debilitating impact of the punitive measures to Thursday this week, Zimbabwe-European Union (EU) relations are a tale of fighting, tears and peace.
Mr Schori was heading the EU observer mission to the hotly-contested March 2002 presidential election but our Government of the day was unhappy with his record thus gave him until midnight on February 16 to leave the country.
On February 18, 2002, the EU imposed its first set of sanctions on our country, highlighting the deterioration of relations between the two parties. It has renewed the measures every February since then, adding some companies and individuals to its sanctions list and removing others.
In February this year, Brussels removed the Zimbabwe Defence Industries, the last company which remained on its list, but maintained its arms embargo.
Three months later, the inaugural Zimbabwe-EU Business Forum was staged in Harare. It served as a platform for sharing trade and investment opportunities between Harare and Brussels.
The vibe and language around the farewell courtesy call that EU Ambassador Jobst von Kirchmann paid on President Mnangagwa on Thursday is more evidence of the transformation that the bilateral relations between our country and the EU have undergone over the past 23 years.
They had a very warm meeting which indicated a willingness from both sides to let bygones be bygones and to march ahead as partners for a mutually-beneficial relationship.
“I bid farewell to EU Ambassador Jobst von Kirchmann, who noted that Zimbabwe-EU relations have normalised over the past three years,” the President wrote on X.
“Trade rose by 30 percent, investment by 90 percent. We thank him for strengthening ties and wish him well.”
His guest was much more detailed in his recap of their meeting and his term of service in our country.
“The bridges we built in many areas, multiple areas, but in particular in trade and investment, are solid,” said Amb von Kirchmann.
“On our side, we have organised multiple events, we won three times the gold award at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair for the European participation, we organised the first-ever EU-Zimbabwe Business Forum, we have facilitated trade. What makes me proud is that the results are there.
“In the last three years, we have increased trade by 30 percent and investment by 90 percent. And both figures are now close to US$1 billion, US$880 million per year. I think that’s quite remarkable, but it also shows us that there is potential for more. Now, His Excellency, the President, just mentioned the importance of going deeper in the trade ties.”
Deployed here in 2022, Amb von Kirchmann goes down in history as the EU’s top envoy who oversaw the turnaround of the diplomatic and economic relationship between Harare and Brussels.
We want that new relationship to continue growing and growing for the betterment of the economies and peoples of Zimbabwe and Europe for Harare is committed to being a friend to all and an enemy to none.
