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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter
Russo-Zimbabwe economic co-operation continues to scale new heights, with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo leading a high-powered delegation to the Third Session of the Zimbabwe-Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation which will be held in Moscow, Russia, from August 5 to 7.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Mr Shepherd Gwenzi, in a statement, said the session comes after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s historic visit to the Russian Federation early this year.

President Mnangagwa’s three-day State visit saw him meeting his Russian counterpart Mr Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin where they sealed a number of deals, including a financial package to assist Harare settle and restructure its international debt and fund new projects.

“The second session of the Intergovernmental Commission was held in Harare from April 28-30 2016 during which numerous agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed,” said Mr Gwenzi.

“The session comes on the heels of His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s historic and very successful official visit to the Russian Federation in January 2019. Again a number of MoUs were signed in order to broaden and deepen bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.”

Mr Gwenzi said the session will focus on the review of the implementation of existing agreements and MoUs to increase economic cooperation.

“The upcoming session, which will focus mainly on the review of the implementation of existing agreements and MoUs, will see increased cooperation between Zimbabwe and Russia in such sectors such as trade, mines, energy, defence, agriculture, higher and tertiary education and media,” he said.

“The evolving economic cooperation between the two countries is furtherance of economic diplomacy firmly anchored on the excellent political relations between Harare and Moscow which dates back to the days of the liberation struggle. Since the attainment of our independence in 1980, these relations continue to blossom.”

Mr Gwenzi said the generous donations of tents, blankets and food supplies by the Russian government to assist people affected by Cyclone Idai was yet another testimony of the strong bond of friendship and solidarity that binds the two countries and peoples together.

Zimbabwe, he said, appreciated the fraternal gesture.
The visit by the Zimbabwean delegation is part of President Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement drive that is one of the key pillars towards making Zimbabwe an upper middle-income economy by 2030.