Staff Reporter

His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe and ZANU PF First Secretary Cde E.D Mnangagwa yesterday received credentials from Ambassador designate of Nigeria, Zachariah Mallam Ifu at State House, Harare.

Ambassador Ifu previously served in Australia, Liberia, Indonesia, South Africa and Burkina Faso.

Speaking after presenting his credentials to President Mnangagwa, Ambassador Ifu said there was need to revise the joint commission between Zimbabwe and Nigeria so as to improve the relations between the two countries and that Nigeria was looking at collaborating with Zimbabwe in several fields.

“We need to revise the joint commission between Nigeria and Zimbabwe so that there will be more interaction in the Private Sector. People to people contact are very important. President Mnangagwa is willing to work with Nigeria to improve the relationship, though the relationship is cordial. The relationship (between Zimbabwe and Nigeria) is still vibrant, we still engage with the people of Zimbabwe. We still exchange personnel in the Defence field and we are working to improve the relationship.

“Economically we are looking at collaborating in the field of agriculture, mining, tourism which we believe Nigerian businesses have a lot to offer to Zimbabwe,” said Ambassador Ifu.

In January 2020,when former Nigerian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Janet Bessong Odeka met with Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Cde Constantino Chiwenga, they discussed on upgrading economic relations between Zimbabwe and Nigeria to a higher level, sentiments which Ambassador Ifu reiterated again yesterday.