dyton mupawaenda
Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is now fully paid up with its subscriptions to international organisations and the salary arrears for diplomats have been halved to US$7,33 million over the past year and should eliminated by the end of this year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has commended the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion for timeously releasing the required foreign currency for both the international organisations and for cutting the salary arrears for foreign staff from US$14,2 million as at September 30 last year to US$7,33 million at the end of September this year, with these being eliminated by year end at the current rate of payment.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mrs Rofina Chikava, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade during a budget consultative meeting for 2024 that the Finance Ministry had been making foreign currency available every month for embassies and foreign organisations’ subscriptions.
“A total of US$51,2 million had been disbursed as at 30 September 2023 compared to US$49,6m same period last year. In the same vein, the Ministry is up to date with payments of subscriptions towards major international organisations.”
Mrs Chikava said Treasury has been availing funding for the refurbishment of properties at missions across the world and so renovations had been completed for three properties in Pretoria and Beira, two in Johannesburg and one each in Maputo, Washington and Nairobi.
“The Ministry also has works in progress in Washington, London, Abuja, Lusaka, Dodoma (Tanzania), Gaborone, Pretoria and Berlin. The Ministry is also carrying out renovations on the new chancery in Johannesburg that will accommodate the e-passport centre and this is expected to be operational by year-end,” Mrs Chikava said.
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