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The delegation, which comprises Cdes Patrick Chinamasa and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Zanu-PF), Mr Tendai Biti and Mr Elton Mangoma (MDC-T), Mrs Priscilla-Misihairambwi Mushonga and Mr Moses Mzila Ndlovu (MDC), will lobby for the removal of the illegal sanctions, which have been blamed for the demise of the Zimbabwean economy.
Mr Mangoma confirmed the journey in a telephone interview from Harare.
“I am going but I will not comment for now,” said Mr Mangoma, who is also the Minister of Energy and Power Development.
Speaking during the ZBC News Hour yesterday night, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bimha said the ministerial delegation was ready to travel and would be leaving the country in the evening today.
“The ministers have met. We are looking forward to a fruitful engagement with EU. Our message is that we look forward to normalisation of relations with EU,” said Ambassador Bimha.
He also announced that Cde Mumbengegwi, who is head of the delegation, would not be able to participate in the meeting due to other commitment and that Mr Mangoma would assume his duty.
Ambassador Bimha is on record as saying the ministerial delegation would be travelling to Belgium following an invitation by the EU and that the delegation would meet the 27-member block’s chief of foreign affairs and vice president of the European Commission, Mrs Catherine Ashton.
A decade ago the EU, under the instigation of Britain, slapped Zimbabwe with economic sanctions after the country embarked on the historic land reform programme that saw thousands of landless Zimbabweans being resettled in the fertile land previously owned by whites.
Senior Government ministers, local companies and individuals including journalists were also slapped with travel restrictions under the same banner.
However, in the past years the EU bloc has softened its stance on Zimbabwe with the removalof 71 people in February this year, from the sanctions list.
The EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Aldo Dell-Ariccia is on record saying the EU member states were willing to engage in dialogue with Harare in a bid to mend the tattered relations and help revive the economy.
Over the years Zimbabwe has been unable to access lines of credit from the international financiers due to the illegal sanctions.
Last year President Mugabe launched the Anti-Sanctions Petition Campaign that saw more than two million people appending their signatures against the embargo.
The campaign received overwhelming support from thousands of Zimbabweans among them academics, politicians, ordinary people, business and religious leaders.
Sadc, Comesa, the African Union, the Non Aligned Movement have also denounced the illegal sanctions, which have precipitated economic problems in the country.
Cde Chinamasa and his counterparts in the MDC could not be reached for comment on their mobile phones.
Online Reporter