5 envoys present credentials to President President Mugabe
President Mugabe addresses zanu-pf Central Committee members at the revolutionary party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday. —(Picture by Tawanda Mudimu)

President Mugabe

Felex Share Senior Reporter
A high-powered delegation of Belgian companies is headed for Zimbabwe in April to explore the country’s vast investment opportunities, as more European countries express interest in reviving economic co-operation.Presenting his credentials to President Mugabe at State House in Harare yesterday, newly-appointed Belgian ambassador Mr Hubert Cooreman said his country was also pushing to have an agreement signed between the two countries in diamond co-operation.

Four other newly appointed ambassadors from Turkey, Indonesia, Belarus and Seychelles presented their credentials to President Mugabe.

Mr Cooreman said the delegation would be comprised of business people from several sectors of the economy.

“We are an important trading partner of Zimbabwe and we hope to remain so,” he said.

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“I announced to the President that we have an important economic mission of Belgian companies coming to Zimbabwe in the month of April.

“I will be happy to accompany these people who are from various economic sectors to come to Zimbabwe to see what can be done in terms of future co-operation.”

European countries, most of which have been sitting on the fence, have started warming up to Zimbabwe’s investment opportunities with several delegations from France, Britain and Denmark coming into the country in the past months.

A German mining delegation will be visiting Zimbabwe in April, while the European Union and Government this week signed a $270 million development assistance deal, money which would, for the first time in 13 years, be channelled through Treasury.

Mr Cooreman said the relationship between Belgium and Zimbabwe in diamond trade should be strengthened.

Belgium was at odds with other EU countries when it pushed for the removal of the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation from the sanctions list as it has the world’s largest diamond trading hub, Antwerp.

On sanctions, Mr Cooreman said it would take the agreement of all 28 EU-member States to have them removed, though his country was for a positive and constructive approach that will normalise relations.

Asked how soon this could be, he responded: “I don’t have crystal ball. Do not try to pinpoint me on a date which I do not have.”

Mr Claude Morel, the first Seychelles ambassador to be accredited to Zimbabwe, commended President Mugabe for a “sterling leadership” since he took over the chairmanship of Sadc in August last year.

He said according to his President James Michel, President Mugabe had brought “dynamism” in the region.

“We talked about the Sadc solidarity and I also expressed my President’s greetings to President Mugabe and his best wishes for his well being and success in all his undertakings,” Mr Morel said.

“We are members of the Sadc family, so we are united in purpose and I did pass the message from the President where he commended him for the sterling leadership since Zimbabwe took the chairmanship last August. Things are moving very fast and the holding of the Extra Ordinary summit here (in April) is a testimony that there is dynamism in Sadc.”

He congratulated President Mugabe on his election as the African Union chairperson, adding “Zimbabwe is there on the international front.”

Newly appointed Turkish ambassador Mr Kadir Hidayet Eris said while his country had interests in agriculture and other sectors, they had talked about introducing a direct flight between Zimbabwe and Turkey.

“If as the embassy we can manage to bring the Turkish Airlines, it will open the gates from Turkey since we do not have any time differences,” he said.

“Istanbul and Harare are not very far, it is a seven-hour-flight, so business markets are operating at the same time. Therefore, it will bring a lot of mutual benefits to both sides.”

Indonesia ambassador Mr Stephanus Yuwono said his country was inviting President Mugabe to the 60th Anniversary of the Asia-Africa conference in Indonesia in April to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

“We are waiting for this visit of President Mugabe to Indonesia. We are scheduling this for April and we have sent invitations to other Head of States.”

Mr Andrei Molchan of Belarus also presented his credentials.

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