Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo, Zimpapers Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday received letters of credence from the incoming Ambassadors of Angola, Indonesia, and Denmark, with all three envoys expressing their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Zimbabwe.
Mr Baltazar Diogo Cristovao is the new Angolan Ambassador, Mr Arief Hidayat will represent Indonesia, and Denmark’s incoming envoy is Ms Karin Poulsen.
Speaking after presenting his credentials, Ambassador Cristovao said his tenure would focus on enhancing co-operation between Harare and Luanda.
“As Angola and Zimbabwe, we can consider ourselves two giants in Africa, and that is why I am here — to strengthen our friendship, co-operation, and the political and diplomatic relationship.
“We will deepen our ties through co-operation, exploring political and economic aspects of our region and other domains. We have several areas of strength, particularly agriculture, tourism, and even the military. These are key sectors, with agriculture being the foundation of any country.
“Tourism is growing — Zimbabwe has much to offer. I have visited Victoria Falls, which reminds me of Calandula in Angola,” he said.
Indonesia’s Ambassador, Mr Hidayat, said his priorities would include boosting trade, promoting mineral beneficiation, and fostering cultural exchange.
“I informed the President that my focus here in Zimbabwe is on three key areas. First, to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment — not just exports and imports, but encouraging Indonesian companies to establish operations here, which will facilitate technology exchange and job creation.
“Second, I shared Indonesia’s interest in collaborating with Zimbabwe on value-addition processes for minerals. The President welcomed this initiative and invited Indonesian companies to invest in the mining sector. Third, I aim to strengthen social and cultural ties, promoting people-to-people connections between Indonesia and Zimbabwe,” he said.
Ambassador Poulsen said she was honoured to be accredited and looked forward to expanding Denmark’s commercial footprint in Zimbabwe.
“We are still here, and I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been accredited as Ambassador to Zimbabwe today by His Excellency. We stood firmly with Zimbabwe during the liberation struggle. Today, we are committed to increasing Denmark’s commercial presence in Zimbabwe. We have received calls for more trade and investment from Danish companies, particularly in renewable energy, agro-processing, and digital innovation,” she said.
As a member of the European Union, she added that Denmark also aims to contribute to the growing trade volumes between Harare and Brussels.
“We will do our utmost. As an EU member state, we recognise the strong presence of the European union here in Zimbabwe. Trade figures have risen significantly over the past three to four years — by as much as 30 percent,” she said.
