By Claver Nyuki
President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his initial inauguration speech on 24 November 2017 highlighted that under his leadership, the country would be moving in a new trajectory. “Today the Republic of Zimbabwe renews itself,” he said thus ushering in the new dispensation.
Under the new dispensation, President Mnangagwa affirmed that the country would seek to reaffirm the its membership of the family of nations and expressed the country’s commitment to play its part in all regional, continental and international organisations thereby setting the base for the new administration’s foreign policy.
In his speech after the 2018 Presidential elections, President Mnangagwa reiterated the need for the country to strengthen existing relationships with other countries while re-engaging with Zimbabwe’s former friends especially the West.
“Through the engagement and re-engagement policy, we are opening a new chapter in our relations with the world, underpinned by mutual respect, shared principles and common values,” said the President at the time.
The re-engagement policy would also help in the advancement of the nee administration’s ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ investment drive which was introduced by President Mnangagwa. The rationale of the initiative was to bring in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) which the country desperately needs in its efforts to tackle the economic challenges the country is facing.
In a bid to strengthen existing relationships with regional and African countries, President Mnangagwa commenced his term of office by visiting regional countries including the diamond-rich country, Botswana, which was formerly hostile to Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa also met his counterpart, the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries as South Africa continues to be the biggest trade partner to Zimbabwe in the region.
On his visit to Rwanda, President Mnangagwa was part of the African Union (AU) extraordinary summit which formed the $3 trillion continental free trade zone to take advantage of Africa’s market of 1.2 billion people and is set to boost intra-African trade by 52% by 2022.
In Europe and Asia, President Mnangagwa has also been to China, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the United Nations where he has fostered and deepened bilateral relations in pursuit of modernising and strengthening the country’s economy for the attainment of Vision 2030.
The President’s six day State visit to China saw the upgrading of the two country’s relationship from ‘all weather friends’ to ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ and in Africa, only three countries are on China’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership status, namely South Africa (2010), Algeria (2014) and Egypt (2016).
In the world, only 22 countries enjoy the Chinese Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relationship. Today, China is Zimbabwe’s top export market and accounts for nearly three-quarters of all foreign direct investment into the country (mainly centred on energy, mining, and agriculture projects).
President Mnangagwa also visited Belarus and met his counterpart, President Alexander Lukashenko and signed about eight memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in different spheres of development to promote economic ties between the two countries.
Through the State visit, the country is set to receive 1 500 tractors to boost the country’s ongoing mechanisation of the agriculture sector and 500 buses to improve the country’s passenger transport system.
It is the prerogative of the country’s Head of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to advance a country’s foreign policy and considering that Zimbabwe under the new administration needs to rebrand to suit the international markets.
While addressing the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Lieutenant General (Rtd) Sibusiso Moyo revealed that great strides had been made in as far as restoring relations with the West.
Minister Moyo revealed that at ministerial level, he has managed to meet with the incoming United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Minister of State at the Foreign Office and Department for International Development, Harriet Baldwin, indicating the thawing of the once frosty relations between the two countries.
Ever since President Mnangagwa’s re-engagement exercise, the country has also witnessed an increase in the number of US and British top diplomats visiting the country in a clear a sign of improved relations between Zimbabwe and the West.
Permanent under-secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Simon McDonald, the immediate past Britain’s Africa Minister, Rory Stewart have visited Zimbabwe to meet with President Mnangagwa.
In a landmark meeting, President Mnangagwa met the United States assistant secretary (Bureau of African Affairs) at the US State Department, Mr Tibor Nagy on the sidelines of the 12th edition of the US-Africa Business Summit, a development described by many political observers and experts as a milestone in restoring normal relations with Washington.
Minister Moyo in his address also commended relations between Zimbabwe and the European Union, revealing that the EU has relaxed some of its restrictions to Zimbabwe leading to financial assistance being extended to Zimbabwe.
The country under the leadership of President Mnangagwa is making great strides in restoring the country’s relations with the rest of the world. A lot has been achieved but more still needs to be done. This is the reason why President Mnangagwa and Minster Moyo are sparing no resource or effort to ensure that Zimbabwe takes up its position in the global community of nations and unlock value therefrom for the benefit of all Zimbabweans.
Some misguided elements have been quick to castigate President Mnangagwa’s state visits, claiming that they were gobbling millions of tax payers’ money without paying attention to the fact that the visits are necessary if Zimbabwe is to rebrand and mend relations with the world. The visits are necessary if the country’s Vision 2030, which seeks to achieve a middle income economy by 2030. The achievement of the vision means improved quality of life for all Zimbabweans.
