Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo, Harare Bureau
VENEZUELA has become the latest country to pledge its full support for Zimbabwe’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027–2028 term.
Since President Mnangagwa launched Zimbabwe’s campaign a fortnight ago, Harare has received endorsements from several countries and international organisations, including Japan, China, Russia, India, Cuba and Palestine.
Support has also come from regional bodies such as SADC and the African Union.
Venezuela’s backing was conveyed during a meeting between Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira and his Venezuelan counterpart, Mr Yvan Gil Pinto, held on the sidelines of the ongoing 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
Mr Pinto said Zimbabwe and Venezuela enjoy “firm brotherly relations,” which underpin Caracas’ support for Harare’s bid.
“Well, we had a great meeting with the Minister from Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe and Venezuela are two brother countries that have an excellent, firm relationship, and we have always been supportive in multilateral fora. And we are going to support your candidature for the non-permanent member post in the Security Council, and I’m sure you are going to play a great role,” he said.
The Venezuelan Minister said that Zimbabwe’s bid represents Africa and the global South, and stands for the defence of the UN Charter.
Zimbabwe has previously served twice as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, during the periods 1983–1984 and 1991–1992.
Mr Pinto also revealed plans to visit Zimbabwe as part of efforts to deepen bilateral co-operation.
“And we have also made progress in bilateral issues. Soon, I will be visiting Harare to establish concrete actions for our co-operation,” he said.
Professor Murwira expressed Zimbabwe’s appreciation for Venezuela’s pledge of support. Both countries are members of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations.
“We have had very fruitful discussions with my brother, my colleague, the Minister of the Republic of Venezuela and as he has said, they are supporting us in our bid for the non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
“And we are together in a group of friends in defence of the Charter that Venezuela is leading very well, to the extent that we now have 4 December as a day of commemorating this,” he said.
The Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations was launched on July 6, 2021 in New York and comprises 18 Member States: Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali, Nicaragua, the State of Palestine, the Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
The group’s main objective is to promote the principles of the UN Charter, advocating for multilateralism and diplomacy over the use of force in response to perceived violations by other UN Member States. In this context, Professor Murwira said Zimbabwe opposes coercive measures that are not sanctioned by the United Nations.
“And we are together in the promotion of peace, co-existence, and non-interference in the affairs of Venezuela and Zimbabwe supports that. Venezuela supports the same idea — that the sovereignty of nations is a sacrosanct tenet of the United Nations that must always be upheld,” he said.
On a bilateral level, the Foreign Affairs Minister said Zimbabwe and Venezuela are working to build on their cordial political relations.
“So, on the bilateral level, we have discussed issues of ensuring that we convert our excellent political relations into economic relations, and do many other things together, so that we strengthen the Global South —and we are together,” said Professor Murwira.
