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Grace Zvavamwe Correspondent
President Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement initiative has been opening new frontiers for Zimbabwe.
In one of the major successes of the Second Republic’s foreign policy, President Mnangagwa was formally invited to witness the coronation of King Charles III at a ceremony that took place in London this month.
This is an indication of thawing relations between Harare and London due to the engagement and re-engagement drive.
This re-engagement drive is part of a battery of policies that the Second Republic is implementing to ensure that Zimbabwe achieves its vision of attaining an Upper Middle Income Economy by 2030 through increased foreign direct investment.
It is through this visit that the Second Republic has managed to defy the negative tag wrought by western imposed sanctions that had previously imposed travel bans on our leaders, ironically at the instigation of Britain and its ally, the United States (US).
The wise leadership of President Mnangagwa has ensured that the country turn on a new leaf through the engagement and re-engagement initiative where he emphasises that Zimbabwe is a friend to all and enemy to none.
According to Zanu PF spokesperson Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, the invitation showed that Zimbabwe had returned to the committee of nations.
“The coronation visit by President Mnangagwa is yet another feather in the hat of wholesome acceptability as we shed of the light of pariah status.
“We heartily welcome our return to the global diplomatic stage with all the attendant pomp and circumstance. We are happy that the wise policies of engagement and re-engagement, friend to all and enemy to none are giving issue to enjoyable bonhomie with all nations and their peoples,” said Cde Mutsvangwa.
It had become publicly known that the UK has been a critical cog in Zimbabwe’s efforts to reintegrate into the community of nations following years of isolation during the First Republic.
As a result of the fast-track land reform programme in 2002, the former colonial power and the US were instrumental in mobilising their European allies against any form of trade or relations with Zimbabwe through threats of embargo.
The President’s appearance at the coronation adds a positive chapter to bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and the UK.
It is demonstrative of the strides being taken by the Second Republic and the thawing of relations between the two countries.
This could benefit the country’s economic sector as prospects of being re-admitted back into the Commonwealth bloc appear at close reach.
The UK visit is set to unlock trade opportunities between Zimbabwe and the western world.
This dovetails with the country’s vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) which seeks to attain an Upper Middle Income Society/Economy by 2030.
President Mnangagwa had fruitful sideline meetings at the coronation, which enabled him to meet up with potential investors and had high level talks with the commonwealth Secretary-General, Mrs Patricia Scotland, and UK Minister of State in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Andrew Mitchell in what was a key engagement in Zimbabwe’s plans to re-join the Club.
Writing on his twitter handle, President Mnangagwa confirmed his meeting with Mitchell where they discussed steps that Zimbabwe could take to develop relations with the UK.
“During my trip to London, I had the fantastic opportunity to sit down, with UK Minister of Africa, Rtd Hon Andrew Mitchell, for purposes of understanding what steps the UK thinks we must take to develop the relationship between the UK and Zimbabwe, this is an exciting opportunity for all of us,” tweeted President Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the UK, Colonel Christian Katsande (Retired), has since described the President’s attendance to the King’s coronation as a sign of thawing relations between Harare and London.
It is evident that Zimbabwe’s diplomatic charm is bearing fruit, since the King’s coronation has not been the only invite that had been extended to President Mnangagwa.
Last year, he was invited to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, which invite he delegated to the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Frederick Shava.
This became the first step towards the improvement of relations between Zimbabwe and the UK.
Apart from the invites from the British Monarchy, Zimbabwe has moved towards a common-purpose interaction as opposed to the past interactions which were marred with aggressive, spiteful, and turbulent policy shifts by the previous administration.
This bordered on diplomatic hostility.
Last year, a Commonwealth delegation led by the organisation’s Assistant Secretary-General Professor Luis Franceschi, visited Zimbabwe and acknowledged that Zimbabwe had made progress in laying the desired foundation for re-admittance in the association.
Thus, Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement efforts continue to bear fruit with another notable occurrences being the partial removal of illegal sanctions by the EU, development assistance by the European Development Fund and Zimbabwe’s invitation to the US-Africa Summit for the first time last year.
Moreover, the re-engagement policy was particularly put into perspective when President Mnangagwa visited Glasglow, Scotland for the climate change conference (COP26.)
The COP26 brought together 120 world leaders and over 40 000 registered participants, where President Mnangagwa maximised this occasion to engage with everyone who mattered in the country’s integration with the community of nations.
Just this year, the President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus was in Zimbabwe, his first visit to a sub-Saharan country.
This was a reciprocal state visit, after President Mnangagwa visited the East European country in 2019. This was a major stride in solidifying the co-operation between the two countries as it witnessed eight agreements being signed.
The two Presidents jointly launched the Second Phase of the Zimbabwe-Belarus Agricultural Mechanization Programme, estimated to be around US$70 million.
Nevertheless, good relations are continuously being forged under the belt of the Second Republic, fighting tooth and nail at every opportunity that Zimbabwe returns to its rightful place in the community of nations after years of isolation.
The Second Republic’s mantra of not leaving anyone and no place behind has managed to improve the country’s perception and image.
Online Reporter