Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honourable Dr I S G Mudenge

CLOSING REMARKS BY HONOURABLE MINISTER I S G MUDENGE AT THE THIRD MEETING OF THE ZIMBABWE-IRAN JOINT COMMISSION : 7 AUGUST, 2002, TEHERAN, IRAN

Your Excellency Honourable Shariatmadari, Minister of Commerce
Honourable Ministers from Iran and Zimbabwe
The Esteemed Delegations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Zimbabwe to the Third Joint Commission

Ladies and Gentlemen

As we come to the end of this very successful session of our Joint Commission, please allow me to express, on my own behalf as well as that of my delegation, most sincere appreciation and deep gratitude to you, Honourable Minister, and the People and Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for the generous hospitality and excellent facilities put at our disposal for this Third meeting of the Joint Commission.

This visit to your great country has afforded my delegation an opportunity to interact with the Iranian friends at all levels.

Dear Colleague, we are humbled and inspired by the graciousness with which the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H E Mr Khatami and the Speaker of the Assembly, His Emminence Mr Karoobi received us.

Honourable Minister, we came here on a mission, nay with a mission, not only to consolidate but, more importantly to transform our relationship. Recent experiences my country has gone through have convinced us on the need to first and foremost rely on ourselves and secondly broaden the circles of our co-operating partners beyond the traditional North-South axis by onsciously seeking out to re-establish our historic South-South trading relations with Asia. For us the outcome of this 3rd Iran-Zimbabwe Joint Commission has laid a firm and exciting foundation for this decisive redirection. Among the various initiatives we view the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between our Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement and the Tractor Manufacturing Company of Iran as a major strategic development for Zimbabwe at this juncture, coming as it does as we in Zimbabwe are coming to the end of the first phase of our Land Reform Programme where the majority of the people of Zimbabwe will, for the first time, play a decisive role in the vital agro-industry of their country.

Under this Memorandum of Understanding, a number of activities, including the following, will be undertaken namely:

- supply of tractors and other agricultural equipment to Zimbabwe;
- supply of land clearing and irrigation equipment to Zimbabwe;
- assembling and manufacturing of tractors;
- supply of veterinary and human vaccines and antibiotics, and
- training of Zimbabweans in the various specialised areas in the agricultural sector.

Another key result from the Joint Commission is the offer of a US$15 million Line of Credit by the Export Development Bank of Iran, provided for the purpose of importing capital goods, equipment and raw materials by Zimbabwean companies. This facility will enhance the expansion of the economic activities between our two countries.

Dear Colleague, I would like to assure you that we will be forwarding to you the name of the participating Zimbabwean bank by the deadline of 19 August, 2002, as agreed, as well as the relevant documentation required to facilitate the commencement of the disbursement from the facility. We thank your people and Government for this practical assistance to Zimbabwe in order to enhance our cooperation.

Furthermore, I would like to express our gratitude for the willingness by your country to co-operate in the construction of the Gwaai-Umuguza Dam and participating in the downstream activities of the Tokwe-Mukose Dam, among other projects. It is through such assistance that Zimbabwe can fully realise the objectives of its agricultural revolution.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Information that we have signed is designed, inter alia, to enable Zimbabwe to provide a better Broadcasting Service to its people, especially during these days when the country is being subjected to a vicious media blitz by the UK and its allies through pirate radios, print and public broadcasts targeted at Zimbabwe.

Allow me, at this point, Excellency, to express Zimbabwe's gratitude at the offer of five scholarships annually at the post-graduate level. We will ensure that these will be taken up by our people.

I cannot fail to mention the offer by your country to enable Zimbabwe to acquire the much needed life saving drugs as well as the provision of health and pharmaceutical specialists. We have noted your request on the need for our Drug Control Authority to consider reducing the drug registration period for some of your drugs being administered in our region and elsewhere. We intend to pursue this issue.
Excellency, we are fully satisfied with the outcome of our Joint Commission. The issues I have chosen to single out do not represent all the items covered in our agreed minutes. A lot more has in fact been covered in our discussions. The results will speak for themselves. All I want to emphasize is to urge our two countries to ensure that we implement expeditiously what we have agreed upon. You certainly have the assurance of my delegation's commitment to act quickly.
Zimbabwe's Ambassador will be in Tehran possibly next month and he will vigorously follow-up on the implementation of all we have agreed upon.

Once again, allow me to say a big thank you to Your Excellency, the Government and People of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for the wonderful hospitality extended to me and my delegation and the opportunity to renew our Bilateral Co-operation and chart an exciting future of friendship for our countries. To us Tehran has been a home away from home. My delegation and I look forward to welcoming you to Zimbabwe for the mid-term review, which I understand, one of your delegates proposes that it be held at the VICTORY FALLS seeing that Zimbabwe has just reversed the unjust Victorian land grab policies. Pamberi ne VICTORY FALLS! Queen Victoria Falls are no more. They have been buried by the Victory Falls.

I thank you.