by Charles Motsi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has received overwhelming support from the family of nations as he made his maiden appearance at the United Nations General Assembly currently underway at the UN headquarters in New York.

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, had a meeting with the President on Tuesday and he expressed confidence in the direction Zimbabwe had taken since the resolution of the 2018 harmonised elections.

Guterres pledged to support Zimbabwe and its new President whom he acknowledged as its true head of state regardless of the futile challenge by the losing presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, that the elections were rigged.  

“The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The Secretary-General congratulated President Mnangagwa on his recent election and discussed opportunities to deepen democratic governance reconciliation in the country,” reads part of the statement released by the UN after President Mnangagwa’s meeting with the UN Secretary General Guterres.

In his own speech, President Mnangagwa reiterated his message of forward looking and shared his vision for the Second Republic as he outlined that sanctions had no place in the new Zimbabwe but rather investment was what is now needed to grow the Zimbabwean economy.

“Elections are behind us and Zimbabwe is now focused on the modernisation and industrialisation of its economy,” said President Mnangagwa.

In a show of Pan-African brotherhood, President Mnangagwa also got some much needed backing from the African Union Chairman, Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, who appealed to progressive international partners at the UN gathering to assist Zimbabwe to move forward

“In Zimbabwe, the next stages on the country’s path of progress warrant steady encouragement from the international community,” said Kagame.