Online Reporter
Fungi Kwaramba in DOHA, Qatar
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa arrived in Doha, Qatar, last night to attend the United Nations Second World Summit for Social Development, which seeks to establish mechanisms for eradicating poverty, ensuring employment creation and promoting social inclusion.
This is the second summit of its kind since the initial meeting was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995.
Focus areas of the Copenhagen Declaration included eliminating absolute poverty and ensuring that all people have the means to meet their basic needs.
It also seeks to ensure there is full employment and decent work for all, building societies where everyone can participate fully, with a focus on enhancing and protecting human rights.
To that end, the summit also intends to create economic, political, social and cultural conditions that allow people to achieve social development.
The Declaration sought to achieve not only gender equality, but equity and advocates for equitable access to education and primary healthcare for all.
Building on that, the Doha Summit will focus on renewing global commitments to social development and addressing persistent gaps in these areas.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira, who received the President at the Hamad International Airport, said social development is a crucial pillar for world peace, because it is inclusive, encompassing the rights of everyone, including people with disabilities, women and youths.
“About 28 world leaders are expected to attend this summit, including His Excellency the President.
“His Excellency the President is going to deliver his remarks tomorrow (today) on November 4, 2025, and he is then expected to attend one of the plenary sessions as well as a round table to talk about this very important topic on social development,” said Professor Murwira.
He added that Zimbabwe has done a lot in terms of inclusive development as it has departments vital for social inclusion such as the Disability Office, which is domiciled in the Office of the President and Cabinet, and ministries that focus on social welfare, child care and women empowerment.
“A hopeful world is an inclusive world and His Excellency the President is a champion of inclusivity. As you know, he always talks about leaving no place and no one behind or leaving no one and no place behind. So, this is actually the place that he can make that contribution and show that difference,” said Minister Murwira.
“The President talks about empowerment as one of the key words of his Government. It’s only an empowered people that can make the society more stable and more progressive.
“When people feel included and are included, it makes sure that the country achieves or the world achieves the peace and stability that is needed, the economic movement that is needed and also basically the social inclusion that is an ingredient of social cohesion,” he said.
According to official statements, the summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of an action-oriented political declaration. This declaration would outline commitments to social development and provide momentum for implementation at national and international levels.
The summit’s goals align with Zimbabwe’s national development agenda, which prioritises leaving no one and no place behind.
President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy, is in tandem with the summit’s objectives and the broader Sustainable Development Goals.
The event has drawn over 8 000 participants, including world leaders, international organisations and representatives from civil society and the private sector.
President Mnangagwa was also received at the Hamad International Airport by Ambassador Ibrahim Youssef Fakhro and Qatar Director of Protocol Department last night.
Peter Tanyanyiwa