Staff Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has hailed the spirit of engagement fostered by member states of the Africa-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) describing it as an opportunity for member states to exchange notes on development aspirations.
Speaking during the virtual summit, President Mnangagwa emphasised the need for CARICOM to harness its resources and create sustainable synergies that improve people’s lives.
“This platform therefore entails that Africa and the Caribbean Community must continue to strengthen partnerships, cooperation and coordination towards developing mechanisms to rejuvenate and grow our economies.
“The need to harness our natural and human resources to create opportunities and increase self-reliance for the benefit of our people equally remains critical,” the President said.
President Mnangagwa encouraged the Summit members to think outside the box for home-grown solutions of effectively dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as climate change.
“With regards to the contemporary realities, we must encourage rigorous debates around responsive strategies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change adaptation as well as the socio-economic capabilities that can be harnessed to advance our collective aspirations,” said the President.
The President also reiterated that the Summit serves as a building block that enhances mutual and comprehensive South-South relations, suggested under the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. The President took the opportunity to encourage member states to engage other countries in the global village.
“Through this noble initiative, we should redouble engagement efforts with global institutions for the development of inclusive models which will help accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals by our countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, since taking oath of office, President Mnangagwa has been making efforts to engage and re-engage friends and foes for Zimbabwe to realise the success of its sustainable development agenda.
The virtual meeting was attended by President of the Republic of Kenya who is also President-in-office of the Summit of the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Chairperson of the Summit, Uhuru Kenyatta; President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chairperson of the African Union, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo; Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Gaston Browne; Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat; Secretary General of the CARICOM, Dr Carla Natalie Barnett, among others.
