Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
NEWLY-ACCREDITED ambassadors to Zimbabwe from Iran, Ghana and Zambia yesterday presented their letters of credence to President Mnangagwa at State House, with all three committing their tenures to improving relations with Zimbabwe.
Iran will be represented by Ambassador Amir Hossein Hosseini, Ghana by Ambassador Bonaventure Adjavor and Zambia by Brigadier-General Wilson Tembo.
Speaking to the media after his closed-door meeting with the President, Ambassador Hosseini said Zimbabwe and Iran had deep-rooted relations based on mutual understanding and common interests at bilateral and international levels.
As such, the Iranian Ambassador said he would focus on scaling up economic cooperation, with the reopening of a tractor manufacturing plant in Harare in the final stages.
“At bilateral levels, the two countries, considering their capacities and capabilities, naturally, in my view, are complementary economies. So during my tenure and stay here, we will focus on the business, promotion of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
“I have good news for you . . . we are in the final process, and also we discussed the tractor manufacturing factory with His Excellency the President, to reopening our tractor manufacturing factory in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Ambassador Hosseini said the two countries were also working towards the establishment of a pharmaceutical production plant in Zimbabwe. Cooperation in various other areas would also be increased.
“We are also invigorating our efforts to have medicine factories here in Zimbabwe also in the near future, it is a short-term programme. Also, we have planned to have several delegations on different aspects of our relations, that is cultural, defence, trade and other aspects of our relations.
The President poses for a photograph with incoming Ghanaian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Bonaventure Adjavor soon after the presentation of credentials at State House in Harare yesterday.
“So I have good news for the people and also the Government of Zimbabwe that Iran is urgently planning to promote its own relations with Zimbabwe and we are hopeful to have very positive and constructive processes in the future,” said the Iranian Ambassador.
On the multilateral stage, he said both countries are victims of Western imposed illegal economic sanctions hence they would remain united in calling for their unequivocal removal.
“So we will continue, the two countries, to be on a united front against these illegal actions against freedom-loving countries and we will try our best at the international level to oppose the Western countries’ sanctions against independent states,” said Ambassador Hosseini.
Zambian Ambassador Brig Gen Tembo said President Mnangagwa always saw that Zimbabwe and Zambia were conjoined twins, hence the need for increased and sustained cooperation.
“We had discussions on the many areas of cooperation between our two countries, mainly in the areas of energy, transport, agriculture and tourism,” he said.
The Ambassador said he had also discussed the agreements that exist between the two countries.
“We spoke also about the number of memoranda of understanding that have been signed between the two countries.
“There are still a few others that are a work in progress, which the two countries are working on,” he said.
President Mnangagwa receives the credentials of incoming Zambian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brigadier-General Wilson Tembo at State House in Harare yesterday.
Ambassador Tembo said he had told President Mnangagwa that Zambia was firmly behind Zimbabwe’s candidature for non-permanent representation in the United Nations Security Council as well as in calling for the unequivocal removal of sanctions.
“And, of course, we spoke about Zambia’s steadfast support for Zimbabwe in its quest for a non permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council and Zambia’s support, again, ensuring that the sanctions that have been imposed on Zimbabwe are lifted unconditionally. And we are sure that Zambia stands with Zimbabwe every step of the way,” he said.
On the trade front, the Zambian diplomat said figures were satisfactory although more needed to be done in that aspect.
“Well, figures on trade, I think we are doing okay but still more remains to be done. I think we look forward to having more investments moving either way between the two countries,” he said.
Quizzed on the planned establishment of a railway line between Lions Den and Lusaka, proposed decades ago as a more direct link, as well as the road to Kanyemba, Ambassador Tembo said they were work in progress.
“Yes, I think those are issues that are still a work in progress. Our Minister of Transport is working vigorously to ensure that those come to fruition,” he said.
Ghana’s Ambassador Adjavor said during his tenure he would mainly focus on increased economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Trade between the two countries was low but there is scope for improvement under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The economic front is very critical for us. There is too much low trade between the two countries. We need to elevate that to enhance trade, accelerate trade between the two countries. We have a lot of products we need to trade in, taking advantage of the AfCFTA.
“Exports from Zimbabwe to Ghana go duty-free . . . likewise, Ghana to Zimbabwe duty-free. All we need to work on is the transport infrastructure to bring goods to this country,” he said.
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