Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade urged to scale up its oversight role

THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade should scale up its oversight role to ensure the economic diplomacy focused re-engagement and engagement policy contributes to transformative development of the country, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, said yesterday.

He was addressing an induction workshop for the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Bulawayo.

The workshop was meant to educate the committee of what is expected of them as they execute their national mandate. Under the Second Republic, diplomatic missions are expected to promote investment into the country.

“As the stewards of our nation’s oversight diplomatic endeavours, the committee’s role must be transformative and dynamic in contributing towards Zimbabwe’s political stature in the multilateral body polity ecosystem.

“There is now a shift from political diplomacy to greater accent on economic diplomacy through accelerated trade between Zimbabwe and outside countries,” said Adv Mudenda.

“This committee should, therefore, exercise greater oversight in this regard.”
He said the committee working with the ministry should endeavour to ensure that Zimbabwe is a competitive trade destination.

Adv Mudenda also said the committee should drive President Mnangagwa’s policy that Zimbabwe is a friend to all and enemy to none.

“Your portfolio committee has a paramount role in the engagement and re-engagement mantra, which underpins the sphere of the country’s foreign policy and international trajectory wherein His Excellency, President Cde Dr E D Mnangagwa has declared that Zimbabwe is an enemy to none and a friend to all,” he said.

“In that context, Parliament is entrusted with the responsibility to promote the existence of cordial relations between Zimbabwe and other states in the spirit of multilateral-ism, which respects each other country’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.”

He said the committee should appreciate the country’s trade programmes and policies and how they can contribute to economic growth. For instance, Adv Mudenda said the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) was aggressively promoting economic diplomacy through synergised leverages with insight from embassies abroad.

“In this regard, your committee should be more conversant with Zimbabwe’s trade policies such as the National Trade Policy and Export Promotion Strategy (2020-2023). Furthermore, the committee must know our trade balance sheet with other countries,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said Parliamentarians should not underestimate the influence they can have in contributing to global peace, noting how he has been involved in addressing continental and global peace issues such as the Egyptian and Ethiopian conflict over the River Nile and the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

“We are involved in the Ukrainian issue. We have committee inter-parliamentary union. We are engaging in the Middle East very quietly and the question of Israel agreeing to opening up to humanitarian aid to come through has been done quietly with the Parliamentary Diplomacy in liaison with the United National Secretary General (Antonio Guterres),” said Adv Mudenda.

“There has been some opening but not to our satisfaction. Of course the war needs to end between Israel and Gaza.”
He said he is also involved in the Russia-Ukraine war negotiations where the conflict has negative impact on global economies.

“The war in the Middle East is affecting the movement of ships. As far as the Suez Canal is concerned, both have a negative economic impact on global economies,” said Adv Mudenda.

“It’s important that we secure peace and stability not only in these hot spots but for the entire world.”