By Lungile Siziba
President Mnangagwa says he will further the SADC region’s goals in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, when he assumes the SADC Chair’s position in August.
The President was speaking at a New Year reception he hosted for Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations at State House in Harare recently.
Presently, Zimbabwe is the SADC Vice Chair and will assume the top post in August, until August 2025.
As it takes over, it has a couple of issues to attend to, including the Mozambique general elections of October 9 this year, Botswana in October, Mauritius on November 30, Namibia in November too.
With some countries affected by cholera, Zimbabwe is expected to lead in the fight against the disease, which has claimed many lines across the region including in Zimbabwe.
Said President Mnangagwa: “As you may be aware, Zimbabwe will host the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in August this year.
“As the incoming Chair of SADC, I reaffirm my commitment to furthering goals and aspirations of our region, in line with the AU Agenda 2063.
“I look forward to your support in this regard.”
Recently, a SADC preparatory mission led by the Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs, Dr Judith Kateera, was in Harare to check on progress made in preparations for the hosting of the SADC Summit in August.
During their time in Zimbabwe, the team visited the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden just outside Harare, which will be the main venue of the 44th SADC summit set for August.
The other venue, the University of Zimbabwe where a public lecture would be delivered, was also visited, together with the airport and hotels that will provide accommodation to delegates.
Deputy Chief Secretary Coordination of National Programmes and Projects, Engineer Amos Marawa and the Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda, together with other senior Government officials, led the visitors.
Said Dr Kateera after the tour: “We toured the venue for about two hours and went around to inspect the entire progress.
“It is a majestic building which we really appreciate very much. We have identified where the official opening and closing will take place.
“There are rooms available for our Heads of State as holding rooms, meals and so forth. The Secretariat will also have a dedicated place for documentation and operations to facilitate the smooth running of the summit. In a nutshell, we are very happy.”
Dr Kateera added that they inspected the places they will use in case of emergency health issues, and were equally “very happy”.
SADC Heads of State and Government are also expected to visit the Museum of African Liberation, and the preparatory team had occasion to tour and check on preparedness.
Dr Kateera said the Museum of African Liberation was “a great project which I would really like to encourage all member States and institutions like schools, universities to visit because it is going to be an information hub on our heritage and history”.
“I would really want to urge and encourage all member States who are going to come that they also bring in that historical information which tells the true story of their countries,” she said.
Strange reform conditions worrying
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe remains committed to honour its obligations to bilateral and multilateral creditors.
Treasury statistics show that Zimbabwe owes various multilateral financial institutions including the Paris Club, the World Bank and others, over US$17,5 billion.
In seeking to resolve its debt and arrears, Zimbabwe has set up a Structured Dialogue process that involves the creditor organisations and the Government.
About five meetings have so far been held, as a breakthrough is being sought.
President Mnangagwa is happy with the process, and says last year, Zimbabwe made “significant progress in addressing the debt overhang”.
“I pay tribute to our High-Level Facilitators, His Excellency former President Joachim Chissano and Dr Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank, who continue to advance this process under the Structured Dialogue Meetings.
“The support of Development Partners who have embraced this Dialogue Process is most welcome and appreciated.
“I take note that, while progress has been made, the continued insistence by individual member States for Zimbabwe to fulfill reforms based on their conditionalities and preferences is regrettable, and underlines the need for greater goodwill and honesty in the process.
“Notwithstanding the progress, Zimbabwe continues to bear the brunt of illegal sanctions. These sanctions continue to weaken our efforts to chart our development path without undue interference,” said the President.
He expressed gratitude for the continued solidarity that Zimbabwe has received and continues to receive from SADC, the AU and other progressive nations in its fight against the illegal sanctions.
President Mnangagwa then reiterated his call for the “immediate and unconditional removal of the sanctions”.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa said he was grateful for the cooperation between Government and various development partners to augment domestic efforts to realise sustained food security, while also building greater community resilience and adaptive capacities.
“Further, my administration acknowledges the bilateral and multilateral efforts that saw our country contain the outbreak of cholera earlier this year,” he said.
The President said his engagement with diplomats came at a time when climate change-induced disasters continue to destroy environments, economies, lives and livelihoods.
The natural catastrophes, he said, were affecting several countries and Zimbabwe empathises with affected jurisdictions both on the African continent and beyond, who continue to lose livelihoods and property due to climate change.
“To de-risk the effects of this undesirable phenomenon, concerted multilateral efforts must be scaled up under the architecture of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Zimbabwe is ready to play its part in this regard,” he said.
Zim seeks support for non-permanent seat on UNSC
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe looks forward to the continued support of traditional global allies, while also courting new support from countries tend to be hostile to the Government, support in various areas including Harare’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2027-2028.
He reiterated the mantra that “Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy to none”.
“We, therefore, reaffirm our commitment to peaceful co-existence and dialogue as a means to resolve conflicts around the world.
“We continue to call for lasting solutions to challenges in the Middle East and full implementation of UN Resolutions with regards Western Sahara,” he said.
Notable progress in economic development
President Mnangagwa said on the economic development and investment front, the country looks forward and stands ready to welcome capital from various countries.
“Zimbabwe is open for business. Through the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, investment processes are now more efficient in line with international best practices.
“To further strengthen the enabling economic environment, the backbone infrastructure with regards to energy and power is continuously being developed. The Hwange Unit 7 and 8 Expansion Project has had a positive impact.
“In mining, the recent discovery of gas, oil and vast lithium deposits as well as our value addition and beneficiation drive are all propelling our efforts to become an upper-middle-income society by 2030,” he said.
Infrastructure development critical for connectivity
The President said he will continue to drive infrastructure development, which is central to enhancing Zimbabwe’s connectivity as a land-linked country.
Already, work is in progress on the rehabilitation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, with over 470km already completed and opened to motorists.
Contractors are already on site as they start work on the rehabilitation of the Harare-Chirundu highway, as the Second Republic continues to prioritise and the modernisation of cross-border infrastructure development projects to boost trade with other countries.
“Equally, Zimbabwe is determined to put in place the critical enablers to accelerate the regional and continental integration agenda.
“To this end, the ongoing rehabilitation of roads and ports of entry is earmarked to contribute to the shared aspirations of SADC and the African Union.
“The expansion project of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport has enhanced our passenger capacity, while providing the supporting infrastructure for tourism and transport services. I express my gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for this signature project,” he said.
Cooperation key SDGs attainment
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was ready to strengthen cooperation and partnerships with all countries that respect the country’s aspirations.
The relations would be at the level of Government-to-Government, Business-to-Business and People-to-People, said the President.
“This will allow Zimbabwe and your countries to deepen all areas of cooperation for the realisation of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and national priority areas for the benefit of our people. “Together, in unity of purpose, we can achieve more. We are pleased to highlight that, in line with our engagement and re-engagement policy, Zimbabwe has opened new Missions in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Equatorial Guinea.
“We envisage that this direct representation will facilitate greater economic interactions with host countries,” said President Mnangagwa.
In a speech read on his behalf by Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Salwa Mowafi, the Dean of Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations, Ambassador Jose Ela Ebang Mbang, said: “We recognise the significant contributions of the Republic of Zimbabwe in regional, continental and international quarters.
“Indeed, the world needs Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe needs the world,” said Ambassador Mbang.
Ambassador Mbang is also the Equatorial Guinea Ambassador to Zimbabwe.
