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Nyore Madzianike Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Malawi Dr Nancy Saungweme has committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Malawi.
Dr Saungweme said this during Zimbabwe’s 42nd Independence Day celebrations held in Lilongwe, where Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nancy Tembo was the guest of honour.
“In the spirit of Pan-Africanism, Zimbabwe and Malawi should exert all efforts to strengthen the political, economic and diplomatic relations for the mutual benefit for our two countries and people.
“These relations are on a sound footing and by engaging more effectively on a wide range of issues including the economic, social and cultural aspects, we would raise our bilateral relations to new levels,” said Dr Saungweme.
She said Zimbabwe was a living testimony of the fruits of the immeasurable efforts of African unity, adding that Harare and Lilongwe were bound by their common history and culture.
“The profound shared historical ties make Zimbabweans and Malawians one people. These can be traced back to the colonial period of the then Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which left large numbers of our people on either side of our borders.
“To this day, we have Malawians who have chosen to make Zimbabwe their home as well as Zimbabweans who have done the same in Malawi.
“A lot of our people have also intermarried, thereby strengthening the bonds that bind us,” she said.
Senior Government officials from both countries were urged to meet regularly, formulate strategies and put in place frameworks that will consolidate stronger economic ties.
“Opportunities exist for mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries in trade, agriculture, education and tourism.
“The Zimbabwe-Malawi Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation which was convened in Harare in December 2020, set a platform which would go a long way towards improving trade and investment between the two countries for the mutual benefit of our peoples.
“It is imperative that our two countries expedite the finalisation and signature of all pending MoUs, so as to give new direction and impetus to the scope of our relations,” said Dr Saungweme.
She acknowledged the peace-keeping role played by Malawi in averting conflicts around the continent and expressed her commitment to pursue President Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement efforts through various activities in Malawi and other nations.
“Zimbabwe seeks to normalise its relations with all nations with the objective of a collective agenda of the family of nations, espoused in the United Nations Charter,” she said.
Dr Saungweme called for other African nations to assist in pursuing President Mnangagwa’s vision of attaining an upper middle income society by 2030 through various economic blueprints like the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“We call on our friends in the region and in the international community to partner us on mutually beneficial basis in implementing this economic blueprint. Such economic blueprints come amidst unwarranted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
“The sanctions have negatively impacted on the economy and the livelihoods of the generality of the people and must be removed immediately and unconditionally.
“Rightly so, SADC has also been united in its opposition to the sanctions as agreed by Decision 24 of the 39th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Dar-es-Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania during 17 to 18 August 2019 which declared the 25th October as the date on which SADC member States can collectively voice their disapproval of the sanctions,” she said.
Guests from various countries attended the event.
Online Reporter