Source: Outgoing UK envoy Pete Vowles salutes Harare – herald
Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pete VowlesHerald Reporter
OUTGOING British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pete Vowles used King Charles III’s birthday celebrations in Harare on Thursday to thank Zimbabweans for their partnership and reflect on what he described as a memorable three-year tour of duty.
Addressing guests at the festive gathering, Amb Vowles paid tribute to the many people and institutions that have helped sustain relations between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe through co-operation in Government, business, development work and community engagement.
“My first job today is to thank each and every one of you for all you do for the United Kingdom and for Zimbabwe, this beautiful country that we are all fortunate to know in different ways,” he said.
Amb Vowles thanked Government officials and others working to advance the two countries’ mutual interests, saying the relationship had been strengthened by collaboration across many sectors.
“Thank you to our honourable friends and colleagues in the Government of Zimbabwe, and to all those working with us to advance our mutual interests,” he said.
The Ambassador also acknowledged Zimbabweans who had “so generously shared their time, wisdom, challenge, humour and expertise with us”, adding that such engagement had kept the UK connected to “the full range of Zimbabwean voices”.
Turning to business and development partnerships, Amb Vowles said British companies and organisations investing in Zimbabwe, particularly in health, education, culture and development programmes, had played an important role in deepening co-operation between the two countries.
He also spoke warmly about Zimbabwean culture and music, recalling how old-school sungura music became part of the soundtrack of his life during his time in the country.
Amb Vowles reflected on practical “life skills” he had picked up in Zimbabwe, including opening a bottle with another bottle, drying meat on a hanger and sharing a drink with elders.
He said his list of lessons continued to grow during his posting, from learning to wait for food to cool before eating it to improvising solutions during long road journeys.
The Ambassador also praised Zimbabwean food, saying he believed the world’s best peanut butter was made by hand using local peanuts and salt.
“Wherever you go in Zimbabwe, from the buzzing high-density suburbs to the rural communal areas, to the affluent neighbourhoods, I always find a connection.”
After joining guests in celebrating King Charles III, Amb Vowles noted that the occasion carried special significance for him as it marked his final King’s Birthday Party in Zimbabwe before the end of his diplomatic posting.
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