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Minister Mushohwe

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter—
Zimbabwe has taken advantage of the ongoing International Telecommunications Union Council conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to announce and drum up support for its candidate Dr Cosmos Zavazava, who is vying for the post of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Development Bureau Directorship.

The elections for the post will be held in Dubai next year.

Dr Zavazava is an accomplished ICT expert serving as chief development, projects, and knowledge management in the ITU department bureau.

The department he is serving in is responsible for ITU projects, capacity building activities, statistics for measuring information society, emergency telecommunication, climate change and integrating the least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries into the world economy through ICTs.

The department is also responsible for e-waste management.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushohwe, who is in Geneva, told The Herald yesterday that Dr Zavazava was receiving encouraging support.

“My interaction with heads of delegations here are quite encouraging and most heads of delegations know him and are quite happy with his capability and suitability for that post,” said Dr Mushohwe.

“On Thursday when I hosted a reception for heads of delegations and announced the candidature of Dr Zavazava, it was quite encouraging that most attendees were receptive to the announcement.

“On the following day of the conference, one of the countries that was sponsoring its candidate requested a meeting with me where they announced that they were withdrawing their candidate to back Dr Zavazava.

“There is one African country, which is the only African country that is intending to sponsor a candidate and I am going to meet their responsible minister to try and persuade them to withdraw.

“I am happy with the responses from the heads of delegations on account of our candidate’s known record in the ICT sector. We are very hopeful, although we need to do a lot of work so that when the big conference is held in Dubai next year, we will have done enough mobilisation across the globe.”

Dr Mushohwe said he was aware that the United States was intending to field a candidate for the same post, but Zimbabwe was not fazed.

He said Zimbabwe so far enjoyed the support of Asia, African Union (except for one country) Sadc and the Arab world.

Dr Mushohwe said: “I have lined up meetings with heads of delegations whom I will talk to one on one to mobilise their support and we are hopeful that we will succeed.

“Our candidate has travelled to most developing countries where there are disasters. He is a competent person whose reputation is unquestionable.

“Dr Zavazava is well known across the globe for his result-oriented servant leadership in areas of his specialisation, which include supporting countries in special need, initiating partnership round tables for least developed countries, initiated emergency communications for states in immediate aftermaths of disasters.

“He started and initiated big data solutions to mitigate epidemics, for example on August 28, 2015, he launched the first ITU big data project to mitigate the impact of Ebola and he is precisely known for project execution and has implemented a lot of ICT and development related projects across the globe. That is the man that Zimbabwe is offering for that position in the UN system of ITU.”

Dr Zavazava once served as head of Zimbabwe Government telecommunication agency and also served in Japan and Switzerland as a senior diplomat.

As part of his duties, Dr Zavazava interfaced with United Nations agencies, including the World Trade Organisation, World Intellectual Organisation, World Health Organisation and ITU.

He holds impeccable qualifications in Telecommunication Business, Law and International Relations.

Dr Zavazava also holds a doctorate in Multi Lateral Trade and over the years he has successfully implemented many projects and initiatives, mobilised resources and negotiated partnerships.

For his sterling and exceptional efforts, Dr Zavazava was honoured with a performance award by the ITU in 2009.