dyton mupawaenda
Farirai Machivenyika in MASVINGO
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has scored various successes in achieving the country’s foreign policy goals despite the challenges brought about by the illegal sanctions, the Ministry’s acting Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Rofina Chikava, said yesterday.
Ambassador Chikava said this in her presentation to the ministry’s senior management and ambassador’s retreat and strategic planning review workshop that began here yesterday.
The workshop is being held under the theme, “Consolidating Zimbabwe’s Position Globally Through Re-affirmation, Engagement and Re-engagement for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, through its facilitatory and co-ordinative role, has managed to galvanise economic, commercial, diaspora diplomacy towards President Mnangagwa’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle income society by 2030.
“I am happy that despite the challenges associated with sanctions and continued alienation of the country notwithstanding, the ministry had a number of success stories in the implementation of the foreign policy and these successes stories are a clear testimony of collective hard work. As they say, we are able to bring our own light to the darkness of sanctions,” she said.
Ambassador Chikava added that the country attended 750 engagement and re-engagement meetings at all levels from the President to senior management and ambassadors in the first half of the year.
Some of the successes include the country’s participation at the EU-Africa Summit, the US-Africa Summit and the coronation of King Charles III while the country had received three Commonwealth assessment missions following its bid to re-join the club.
Ambassador Chikava said the country’s re-engagement with the EU under Article 8 of Political Dialogue was work in progress.
“Zimbabwe continues to engage key European countries individually. The beginning week of October saw investment delegations from Germany and the United Kingdom and another delegation from the Netherlands is expected soon.
“The ministry continues to spearhead the country’s re-affirmation of friendship towards its regional and international partners,” she said.
Ambassador Chikava added that the country was also broadening the trade and investment portfolio by opening new markets which has resulted in opening new diplomatic missions in Minsk (Belarus), Islamabad (Pakistan), Equatorial Guinea and a consulate in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
“For the period between January to August 2023, the country’s exports stood at US$4,48 billion which is a 6,1 percent increase compared to US$4,22 recorded during the same period in 2022,” Ambassador Chikava said.
She said the country had also witnessed a rise in exports of manufactured or value added products by 20 percent from US$236 million between January and August 2022 to US$284 million for the same period this year.
“Given the export performance of 2022, the target for merchandise exports in 2023 as enshrined in the National Exports Strategy is likely to be attained, the combined figure of goods and service exports will also likely to surpass the US$7,2 billion target,” said Ambassador Chikava.
Online Reporter