dyton mupawaenda
Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
NORWAY, The Gambia and Nicaragua have all expressed their commitment, through their new Ambassador designates who presented credentials yesterday, to bolstering relations with Zimbabwe as the country continues to buttress its global appeal as an agricultural nation of repute.
The three countries’ newly appointed Ambassadors to Zimbabwe presented their credentials to President Mnangagwa at State House with all of them registering their keen interest in furthering cooperation in various fields particularly in agriculture.
Mr Gjermund Saether is Norway’s new Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay is The Gambia’s incoming Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Ms Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson is Nicaragua’s new envoy to Zimbabwe.
In an interview after a closed door meeting with President Mnangagwa, Amb Saether said Zimbabwe and Norway have cordial relations which should be consolidated more through close economic cooperation.
Zimbabwe’s hosting of the Nordic-Africa ministerial meeting next year was another step in the right direction.
“We have a long history going back to our support to your struggle for freedom and there is great potential moving forward in terms of investment but we also need to know each other better. I think that is one way we can improve economic ties.
“And the Nordic-Africa Foreign Ministers Meeting that Zimbabwe will be hosting next year is one of the opportunities for everyone to know each other better and see if there is potential for more investments,” he said.
Norway, said Amb Saether, was keen on cooperation in various sectors including in agriculture and renewable energy.
The President congratulates Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Norway Gjermund Saether after receiving his letters of credence at State House yesterday.
“There are investments we have through our development finance institutions as partly financial sector, partly agriculture but I also think the renewable energy sector is one area we should consider. So there are certain areas we are looking into,” he said.
The Gambia’s Ambassador designate, Dr Ceesay, said President Mnangagwa had relayed Zimbabwe’s preparedness to hit the ground running in furthering bilateral relations. Both Zimbabwe and The Gambia’s economies are largely driven by the agriculture sector.
“It’s very simple, we have discussed with His Excellency the President many issues. Number one is the bilateral cooperation that we intend to have between the two great nations.
“Agriculture, because as you know Gambia is dominantly a farming country and agriculture is our number one and tourism. So we are going to have cooperation in these two sectors.
“We also discussed mining, The Gambia is interested in it and Zimbabwe is ahead of us.
“We also want to cooperate in heritage, culture, higher education and skills so this is what we discussed.
“The President has instructed that we immediately work together with our able Ministers of Foreign Affairs and lucky for us the two Ministers know each other because they served as Ambassadors in New York so it is not a problem,” she said.
Dr Ceesay said The Gambia was also interested in tapping into Zimbabwe’s vast wildlife resources especially elephants as the collaboration would propel her country’s tourism sector.
“We also spoke about wildlife because we have a lot of elephants that are idle here in Zimbabwe and we want to improve our game reserve in The Gambia because that’s part of our tourism so that all the tourists that come to the Gambia do not leave to go to the next neighbouring country to visit a game park but will rather stay in the Gambia,” she said.
The two countries, said Dr Ceesay, were looking to support each other in their international endeavours.
“The President has also asked us to extend to His Excellency our President Adama Barrow solidarity towards Zimbabwe getting back into the Commonwealth and as you know Gambia is also vying for the secretary general of the Commonwealth this year,” she said.
Ms Carlson said her main mission was to enhance relations between Nicaragua and Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa poses for a picture with Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Nicaragua Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson at State House yesterday. — Pictures: Innocent Makawa.
Agriculture and mining were the mainstay of both countries’ economies, she said.
“We expect great cooperation. Nicaragua and Zimbabwe have a longstanding relationship that goes back to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and we are hoping to strengthen that bond and to find ways that we can cooperate in agriculture, education, health and any other area that is needed, and especially to maintain that strong relationship in the international forums between both countries.
“In agriculture and mining, those are also two of the biggest sectors for Nicaragua as well as Zimbabwe and we hope to learn from each other and to be able to strengthen each other in our development,” she said.
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