Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa in Moscow, Russia
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has met the chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Madame Valentina Matviyenko, who invited her here to contribute ideas and perspectives to discussions for next year’s Eurasian Women’s Forum.
The two sisters, united by their shared passion as mothers to uplift women and underserved communities, exchanged perspectives and explored opportunities for cooperation that can benefit women from both nations, including through the Russia-Africa Summit.
The invitation, which comes in recognition of Dr Mnangagwa’s sustained work in empowering women and communities, was extended during a heart-to-heart meeting as the two exchanged ideas on programmes that could benefit women and families across continents.
The discussions centred on how women can be encouraged to work, develop enterprises, become economically independent and use their skills to improve the welfare of their families and communities.
The meeting has been earmarked to unlock opportunities for women’s economic empowerment, cultural exchange and climate-smart agriculture, while strengthening Africa-Europe people-to-people ties through gastronomy, culture, agriculture, education and other collaborative programmes.
Dr Mnangagwa, who is also leading a delegation of women from Zimbabwe Legacy Empowerment from all walks of life, said such platforms could enable Zimbabwean women to showcase their talents while learning from experiences in other countries.
Zimbabwe’s gastronomy emerged as one area with potential to drive cultural exchange, with traditional food, culinary skills and indigenous products providing a bridge between communities and countries.
The idea is to use gastronomy not only to showcase Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage, but also to create low-hanging economic opportunities for women in agriculture, food processing, hospitality and tourism.
It could also inspire women across Africa to turn their own cultural heritage into economic assets while promoting greater understanding between African and European communities.
The discussions further placed women’s economic empowerment within the broader challenge of gender-based violence, with economic independence seen as an important pathway towards strengthening women’s dignity, confidence and ability to make choices about their lives.
Madame Matviyenko, who was delighted to warmly receive her sister, Dr Mnangagwa, at the Federation Council, described her as her “dear sister” as they discussed initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods.
She then welcomed Dr Mnangagwa’s participation in the upcoming Eurasian Women’s Forum, saying the platform would provide opportunities to promote women’s initiatives and strengthen networks among women.
“Your Excellency, Dr Mnangagwa, it is my sincere pleasure that this is our fourth meeting, and for us it is always a joyous occasion. We have a lot to talk about, to discuss ideas, to outline new plans, and of course we will touch upon the bilateral agenda, on the subjects that unite our countries, especially on the Russia-Africa agenda, as well as the agenda on promoting female initiatives, including the preparation for the upcoming Eurasian Women’s Forum, of which you are also a member. Ever since our first meeting in 2021, when you visited St Petersburg for the Russian Women’s Forum, we have established open, trustworthy relations,” she said.
Madame Matviyenko said she was delighted to welcome Dr Mnangagwa for their fourth meeting, describing their encounters as a “joyous occasion” during which they could exchange ideas and “outline new plans”.
The Moscow meeting came as Zimbabwe continues to position its women’s empowerment programmes within broader international partnerships, allowing beneficiaries to connect with knowledge, technology, markets and investment opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
Madame Matviyenko also expressed hope that President Mnangagwa would visit Russia this year after receiving an invitation, saying she looked forward to his participation in the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for October 28 and 29 in Moscow.
“We hope that His Excellency, the President, will have the opportunity to lead the representative delegation of Zimbabwe,” she said, adding that the summit would give “a powerful impetus” to cooperation between Russia and Africa.
The First Lady started by thanking Madame Matviyenko for their cordial sister-to-sister working relationship, applauding her for visiting Zimbabwe, where she witnessed first-hand the fruits of her Angel of Hope Foundation. Dr Mnangagwa said women needed practical opportunities to work, acquire skills, establish businesses and participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Women must be empowered to participate meaningfully in productive economic activities so that they can achieve food security and economic independence,” she said.
The First Lady said Zimbabwe had developed several programmes to support women and young people in productive economic activities, particularly agriculture.
Through Agric4She, Pfumvudza4She, Poultry4She and Fisheries4She, thousands of beneficiaries have been encouraged to participate in agriculture, improve food security and develop sustainable livelihoods.
With climate change increasingly threatening agricultural production, Dr Mnangagwa said African women should make greater use of such programmes while adopting climate-smart approaches to protect their livelihoods.
She said agriculture remained one of the most accessible pathways through which rural women could generate income, build enterprises and contribute to the development of their communities.
“I would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Russian parliamentary and regional expertise on rural development, agribusiness value chains and cooperative models that could further benefit our smallholder farmers,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said her empowerment agenda also extended into the renewable energy sector through Solar4She, which is promoting women’s participation in solar energy. The initiative includes the Gender Assessment Toolkit and the Solar Technology and Application Resource Centre at Chinhoyi University of Technology, providing opportunities for women to gain skills and participate in an emerging sector.
She said international partnerships could help women move further up the value chain, expand their enterprises and unlock markets, technology and investment.
The First Lady also invited Madame Matviyenko and Russian women leaders to visit Zimbabwe for a reciprocal engagement, where they would meet beneficiaries of the country’s empowerment programmes and exchange experiences with women on the ground.
“I therefore extend a warm invitation to Russian women leaders, senators and other relevant stakeholders to visit Zimbabwe and engage directly with the beneficiaries of the initiatives I have described,” she said.
The reciprocal visit would allow Russian women to see first-hand how programmes such as Agric4She and Solar4She are being implemented, while giving Zimbabwean women an opportunity to learn from Russian experiences. It would also provide an opportunity for the Russian delegation to experience Zimbabwe’s gastronomy, culture and tourism products, further strengthening people-to-people relations between the two countries.
Dr Mnangagwa said stronger people-to-people relations could also be built through student exchanges, cultural programmes, media cooperation and training initiatives.
She said gastronomy could become an important component of that exchange, particularly as Zimbabwe seeks to use its rich culinary heritage to promote tourism and create economic opportunities for women.
Dr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s experience could also provide lessons for women elsewhere, particularly through programmes that combine agriculture, enterprise development, culture and community empowerment.
The First Lady’s delegation to Russia is showcasing Zimbabwe’s gastronomy, tourism products and destinations, demonstrating how culture can be transformed into an economic opportunity.
The engagement further reflected the longstanding friendship between Dr Mnangagwa and Madame Matviyenko, rooted in their shared interest in families, women, young people and vulnerable communities.
Dr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe valued Russia’s continued support for the country’s development agenda and welcomed opportunities for women from the two countries to share experiences, build networks and strengthen enterprises.
“I wish to express my sincere gratitude for Russia’s consistent support of Zimbabwe’s development agenda, and for the warm hospitality always extended to Zimbabwean delegations visiting your great country,” she said.
As preparations for next year’s Eurasian Women’s Forum take shape, the Moscow discussions provide an opportunity for Zimbabwe to bring its experience in women’s empowerment, agriculture, renewable energy, gastronomy and community development into a wider conversation on Africa-Europe cooperation.
For Dr Mnangagwa, the objective is not simply to expose women to international opportunities, but to ensure they can turn their skills, culture and available resources into viable enterprises that support families, create employment and strengthen communities.
