‘Russia-Zimbabwe will continue to build relations’
Source: ‘Russia-Zimbabwe will continue to build relations’ – herald Wallace Ruzvidzo, wallace.ruzvidzo@zimpapers.co.zw ZIMBABWE and Russia will continue to strengthen and celebrate their long-enduring relations that encompass trade, political support and partnerships in the health sector, President Mnangagwa has said. Yesterday, Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa […]
ZIMBABWE and Russia will continue to strengthen and celebrate their long-enduring relations that encompass trade, political support and partnerships in the health sector, President Mnangagwa has said.
Yesterday, Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare, where the two held a closed-door meeting.
Writing on the microblogging platform X, the President said the two countries, Zimbabwe and Russia, celebrate the mutually beneficial relationship.
President Mnangagwa meets outgoing Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Nikolai Vladimirovich Krasilnikov, who paid a farewell courtesy call at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday. — Picture: Believe Nyakudjara
“I received a farewell courtesy call from the outgoing Russian Ambassador, HE Nikolai Krasilnikov, at Munhumutapa Offices. After 6,5 years of service, we celebrate strengthened ties in trade, politics and health, including the vital National Ambulance Project,” he said.
On his part, Ambassador Krasilnikov said Harare and Moscow’s partnership on the international stage is expected to deepen further, following Zimbabwe’s expected election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
He said Zimbabwe and Russia were currently enjoying excellent relations and cooperation across all areas.
“Alrossa, with its diamond and gold projects, is here. We have Russian helicopters roaming (Zimbabwean) skies, with mixed Russian-Zimbabwe crews of pilots and medics, and we are very proud that Russia is part of the wonderful project being implemented here in Zimbabwe on establishing the National Air Ambulance Service,” Ambassador Krasilnikov said.
“Just recently, together with the Minister of ICT, Honourable Tatenda Mavetera, I participated in the ceremony of awarding diplomas to Zimbabwean experts in cyber security, who completed courses by Russian specialists in the field.
“Courses were organised by Russian experts and the beautiful thing about this project is that initially it was organised by private Russian-Zimbabwean companies, but due to its significance, the Government of Zimbabwe raised it to the national level.
“So now cyber security is one of the major highlights of our cooperation.”
Ambassador Krasilnikov said an invitation had been extended to President Mnangagwa to attend this year’s Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow, where African countries and Russia are expected to discuss multilateral cooperation across a range of areas, with a focus on deepening coordination on the international front, particularly within the United Nations (UN).
“This year, we have the Russia-Africa Summit to be held in Moscow in October.
“So we expect that President Putin, President Mnangagwa, together with their friends, African leaders, discuss in a very deep and sincere atmosphere how we move forward in terms of our multilateral cooperation in various spheres, in terms of deepening coordination from the international arena, especially in the United Nations.
“And we expect that our partnership on the international agenda will be very much enhanced when Zimbabwe takes a non-permanent seat in the Security Council,” he said.
The Russian Ambassador said he expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for aiding his successful diplomatic mission in Harare.
“I expressed my profound gratitude for the great support and trust he had in me, and the wonderful assistance that His Excellency personally, the Government of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe business community and the common people provided us with.
“I spent all these years in the atmosphere of true friendship, which enabled me and my embassy to develop political dialogue, to enhance economic and trade cooperation, to promote scientific and technical partnership in various spheres, and to strengthen bonds of people-to-people solidarity,” he said.
Looking back at his tenure, Ambassador Krasilnikov said the highest point was when President Mnangagwa “recognised my efforts as ambassador”.
“And, you know, my personal assessment of the job I have done is that due to the support and trust that I enjoy here, I managed to strengthen the foundation for my successor to come and build upon in order to move forward the bilateral relations in pursuit of the great rapport and accord established between President Putin and President Mnangagwa for the mutual benefit of our brother nations,” he said.
