Nyore Madzianike-Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE and the United Kingdom are seeking to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties as the two nations pursue a modern, mutually respectful partnership, British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mrs Gill Lever has said.
She paid a courtesy call on Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden yesterday, in a meeting also attended by Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda.
Ambassador Lever said the engagement reflected on Adv Mudenda’s recent visit to the United Kingdom, where House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle hosted him for discussions on parliamentary democracy, oversight functions and emerging policy areas such as artificial intelligence.
The talks also recalled Adv Mudenda’s tour of Lancaster House, the historic venue where Zimbabwe’s Independence Agreement was negotiated.
The two officials further explored ways of strengthening people-to-people ties, bolstered by Air Zimbabwe’s direct Harare-Gatwick flights, alongside Commonwealth engagement and women’s participation in politics.
On broader bilateral relations, Ambassador Lever noted that ties were on a positive trajectory. “I think we are in a very good space. I think our relationship is going from strength to strength. Both sides are very committed to a modern and respectful partnership where we can discuss matters of mutual interest and work on them together, trade and investment being one example.”
“But that also gives us the ability, as friends, to discuss more difficult issues that we may sometimes encounter,” she said.
Bilateral trade currently stands at roughly US$300 million annually, with the balance favouring Zimbabwe, although both countries aim to increase trade volumes.
Ambassador Lever said Britain was working with local stakeholders to boost horticultural exports to the UK, supported by a preferential trade arrangement granting duty-free access to a wide range of Zimbabwean products.
“I briefed the Honourable Speaker on a number of initiatives we are undertaking. One is the work we are doing in the horticultural sector so that Zimbabwean farmers can export more to the UK,” she said.
She added that both sides were engaging on business regulations to create an enabling environment for British investment across mining, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and professional services, including mutual recognition arrangements for auditors.
“All these things contribute to that kind of enabling environment that would allow us to grow trade and investment between our two countries,” she said.
