Rwandan President Paul Kagame has said Zimbabwe and his country share a common history that gives impetus to current efforts to develop the two countries and consolidate existing relations.

 

The ongoing Rwanda and Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference marked a major step in cementing the relations and outcomes needed to be implemented with urgency.

 

Addressing the conference here yesterday, President Kagame said Rwanda was keen on doing business with Zimbabwe. He immediately called on the latter to send teachers here to boost the education sector.

 

“The history of both countries is marked by moments of adversity and tragedy but also successes. We are part of wider African experiences. But progress does not come easy, it requires hard work and self-reliance but self-reliance does not mean being alone. No one can prosper without cooperation within our region.

 

“We have to come together, pool our resources and knowledge and reinforce one another. The African Free Trade Area provides us with a framework of aligning our strengths but the business rational for collaboration is that we (Zimbabwe and Rwanda) have a great deal to offer each other, so let’s make the most of it and act on the outcomes of this conference with a sense of urgency,” he said.

 

On Tuesday Zimbabwe and Rwanda signed five Memoranda of Understanding in the fields of Information and Communication Technology and e-Government, Agriculture and Livestock Development, Tourism, Environment and Climate Change and cooperation in the private sector.

 

Over the past few days a number of deals have been secured across sectors, some of which will be operationalised from next week.

President Kagame said time was of essence.

 

“I want to emphasise one thing that the deputy CEO of the Rwanda Development Board mentioned that Zimbabwe can offer equipment but before equipment I want people. Zimbabwe can offer us good teachers.

 

“Please work on that with a sense of urgency and find whatever number of good qualified teachers we can absorb because we need them, we need them urgently,” he said.

 

Zimbabwe is renowned for its high literacy levels and the quality of its education that has seen its nationals occupy key positions in many countries in Africa and abroad.

 

In an ensuing question and answer session with delegates, President Kagame said the continent needed to find solutions to challenges brought about by Covid-19 and tragedies such as the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi which left more than one million people dead.

Zimbabwe has officially commissioned an embassy building in the Rwandese capital, Kigali, where the country is represented by Ambassador Charity Manyeruke.

Zimbabwean companies have been urged to take advantage of regional and continental trade agreements to market their products and pursue investment opportunities.

 

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Frederick Shava said this after Friday’s meeting of the Sadc Committee of Ministers of Trade and the Ministerial Taskforce on Regional and Economic Integration held virtually.

The Extraordinary SADC Council of Ministers virtual meeting was held and adopted guidelines that will see the region enhancing cooperation in trade through increased traffic movement, manufacturing drugs and jointly acquiring medicines from countries such as India in order to reduce costs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The United Arab Emirates has donated an eight-tone consignment of medical supplies to assist Zimbabwe in the fight against COVID-19.

Zimbabwe has waived earlier objections to its immediate implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) protocols to ensure Africa achieves trade growth envisaged under the pact, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said.

14 Jan 2020 Read more...

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Head of the Southern African Development Community Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to the 2019 National Assembly Elections in the Republic of Mauritius, Hon. Lieutenant General (Retired) Dr. Sibusiso Moyo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, released the SEOM's Preliminary Statement following the elections held on 7th November 2019.

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1. INTRODUCTION

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