Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere
Herald Reporter
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira has highlighted the crucial role of trade in driving national prosperity following meetings held by President Mnangagwa on the sidelines of the recent African Union’s 38th Ordinary Session.
He was speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting where Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere gave an update on the President’s recent working visit.
Said Dr Muswere: “Zimbabwe participated in a number of bilateral and sideline meetings on the margins of the 38th African Union Summit.”
He said the President met United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and emphasised that Zimbabwe was open for business.
The President also met President Daniel Chapo of Mozambique and held bilateral discussions.
“The two leaders reaffirmed the existing excellent Government-to-Government and party-to-party relations.”
The Zimbabwe delegation also met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Mr Gedion Timothewos.
“The two countries agreed to resume the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation in Addis Ababa this year,” said Dr Muswere.
During the summit, President Mnangagwa led discussions on vital regional issues, notably the ongoing peace and security challenges in Sudan and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
As chairperson of SADC, he advocated a unified peace process and humanitarian access in the DRC, reinforcing the region’s commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Prof Murwira said Zimbabwe was a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a pivotal platform aimed at boosting intra-African trade.
He elaborated on the recent Africa Prosperity Dialogue in Ghana, which focused on improving trade facilitation infrastructure, including transport and digital systems, to enhance economic collaboration across the continent.
“A country’s prosperity comes from trade, therefore as per our national objectives of making our country, with people that are happy and have a fulfilling life we have to trade,” said Prof Murwira.
“Zimbabwe is a member of is signatory to the AfCTA which is a platform for Africa to increase trade amongst itself.
“So, the Africa Prosperity Dialogue that was held in Ghana was basically a trade facilitation dialogue, and its main focus was on trade facilitation infrastructure that is from roads to digital infrastructure, to unified payment systems to promote intra African trade.”
Prof Murwira said the President’s meeting with President Chapo emphasised the importance of increasing trade between the two countries and highlighted the strong relationship between the two neighbours that have stood the test of time.
“What is important now is that we move into economic cooperation as one of our key ways of cementing our relationship,” said Prof Murwira.
“So, the issue was to do with trade. We expect that this impetus by our leaders to say we should increase trade should spur our local production systems between Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
“In the meeting with the State Minister from UAE, the main discussion there was to increase trade between Zimbabwe and UAE, and you would know from statistics that UAE is the second trading largest partner with Zimbabwe after South Africa at this moment.”
