Wallace Ruzvidzo
Online Reporter
President Mnangagwa today held a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, receiving letters of credence from newly appointed ambassadors of South Korea and the Czech Republic, meeting a delegation from Algeria and bidding farewell to Ethiopia’s outgoing envoy to Zimbabwe.
The engagements at State House in Harare underscored Zimbabwe’s continued commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation and deepening partnerships with countries across the globe.
President Mnangagwa received credentials from Ambassador Kwang-Heon Doh, who will represent the Republic of Korea, and Ambassador Jiri Kyrian, the Czech Republic’s new envoy to Zimbabwe.
The two ambassadors subsequently held separate closed-door meetings with the President before addressing the media on their respective countries’ areas of interest in Zimbabwe.
Ambassador Doh said he had enjoyed a warm and productive meeting with President Mnangagwa, during which they discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
He said South Korea appreciates Zimbabwe’s foreign policy thrust of being a friend to all and an enemy to none, as well as the country’s emphasis on trade rather than aid and its Open for Business mantra.
“I appreciate Zimbabwe’s principle of ‘a friend to all and an enemy to none,’ its emphasis on ‘trade rather than aid’ and the fact that ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’.
“These priorities offer opportunities to build a more practical and mutually beneficial partnership,” he said.
Ambassador Kyrian said his tenure will focus on identifying and harnessing opportunities for cooperation, particularly in trade and investment.
He said there is considerable scope for collaboration in healthcare, education, mining and energy, among other sectors.
“We are very much interested in cooperation in the area of healthcare, for instance. We also spoke about partnership in education. We spoke about mining and energy.
“There’s plenty of potential here in Zimbabwe, and there’s plenty to bring back to the Czech Republic, to present to our companies, and inform them about the opportunities in Zimbabwe,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also met a delegation led by Mr Halouz Abid, the Director-General of the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation, Solidarity and Development.
Mr Abid said Algeria remains committed to strengthening its longstanding relations with Zimbabwe through continued cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the two countries to explore avenues for further collaboration in areas of shared interest.
President Mnangagwa also received a farewell courtesy call from Ethiopia’s outgoing Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Rashid Mohammed.
Ambassador Mohammed said his tenure had witnessed the strengthening and expansion of relations between Harare and Addis Ababa.
