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President Mugabe and the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe board a plane at Harare International Airport last night before departing for Papua New Guinea to attend the 8th Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). — (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Hebert Zharare: Deputy News Editor
President Mugabe left Harare yesterday to join other Heads of State and Government attending the 8th Summit of African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States (ACP) in Papua New Guinea.

The President was accompanied by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and permanent secretaries Ambassador Joey Bimha and Mr George Charamba.

He was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cabinet Ministers Sydney Sekeramayi and Ignatius Chombo, service chiefs and senior civil servants.

Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko is the Acting President.

Seventy-nine countries have confirmed attendance to the meeting and will be represented at different levels, said Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Mr Rimbink Pato recently.

The summit will discuss the future of the ACP group as a revitalised cohesive force advocating the interests of its member states in the international arena.

The grouping consists of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them except for Cuba, being signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the “ACP-EC Partnership Agreement”.

The ACP has been behind Zimbabwe for the past 15 years when Britain and its allies launched an onslaught on the country protesting the land reform programme.