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Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has commissioned a newly refurbished building in Johannesburg, South Africa, where it has started processing e-passports for its citizens, while plans are underway to establish a second centre in Cape Town and another one in London, England.
The issuance of the e-passports follows President Mnangagwa’s directive that such documents should be accessible to all Zimbabweans regardless of where they live.
From Zimbabwe, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava; Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe; Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi, attended the official opening of the building yesterday.
South Africa was represented by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola.
Ambassador Shava said President Mnangagwa’s all-encompassing Vision 2030 of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle income society, seeks to leave no one and no place behind in national development.
“This comprehensive orientation extends beyond the geographical bounds of Zimbabwe as encapsulated in our country’s foreign policy thrust of ‘reaffirmation, engagement and re-engagement’,” he said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, under my stewardship, is thus mandated by His Excellency the President to place at the centre of its priorities, the pursuit of friendship with all nations, economic diplomacy and the welfare of the Zimbabwean diaspora community across the world.”
Ambassador Shava added that apart from adopting and implementing policies that will yield a conducive environment for investment, Government has also sought to improve and modernise the country’s public infrastructure, including diplomatic and consular properties abroad.
“It is our intention and expectation that our diplomatic establishments across the world will project the image of a ‘new, prosperous and empowered Zimbabwe’, a Zimbabwe that our nationals in those countries are proud of and a Zimbabwe that is attractive to the world.”
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