adminTakunda Maodza in PRETORIA, South Africa
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe arrived here yesterday to attend the 25th African Union Summit.
The AU and Sadc chair landed at Waterkloof Airbase in Pretoria around 5PM.
President Mugabe was accompanied by Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha and Secretary for Industry and Commerce Abgail Shonhiwa.
He was received by South African Transport Minister Siyambonga Cwele.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, led an advance team that was part of the entourage that welcomed President Mugabe.
The mid-term summit is running under the theme “Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.
It is being held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
The summit started on Sunday with a meeting of the 30th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) in Pretoria.
The 27th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council met from Wednesday to yesterday.
The 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government is expected to meet at the ICC from tomorrow to Monday.
Over 50 Heads of State and Government are expected to attend the summit. The summit comes shortly after the historic 3rd Tripartite Summit of Comesa, the East African Community and Sadc held in Egypt, which saw the launch of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).
The TFTA created the largest economic bloc in Africa and set the pace for the launch of the continental FTA in 2017.
President Mugabe was seen off at the Harare International Airport by his two deputies Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Economic Planning Minister Simon Khaya Moyo, service chiefs and senior government officials.
Online Reporter