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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

Senate president Cde Mabel Chinomona has commended the growing relations between Zimbabwe and Russian parliaments in her address to the plenary session of the Russian Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Cde Chinomona is on a State visit to Russia.

“The ties between our two Parliaments have also gone a notch higher. In the last year alone, as Zimbabwe, we had the privilege of hosting you Madame Speaker (Valentina Matvienko),” she said.

“In addition, the Speaker of our National Assembly, Honourable Advocate Mudenda visited the State Duma of the Russian Federation and was given an opportunity to address the House. I am here today at your invitation Madame Speaker. Nothing can graphically highlight the growth of our relations at a Parliamentary level, better than these reciprocal visits. I urge our two Parliaments, Madame Speaker, to exchange delegations between our various Committees.”

Cde Chinomona the growing ties resulted in the signing of cooperation agreements last year between the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and the State Duma and others between the Senate and the Federation Council, signed on Monday.

“Our two Parliaments have further grown closer, and will continue to support each other at international parliamentary fora, such as the International Parliamentary Union (IPU).

“We share values and principles of equal participation for women in leadership and access to opportunities. Indeed, this we cherish as part of the steps towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030,” Cde Chinomona said.

The Senate president told her counterpart that their holding of leadership positions was testimony of their countries’ shared resolve to combat gender discrimination and inequality by recognising and promoting able women to various national positions.

“When you empower a woman, you have empowered a community. Unfortunately, women cannot do it alone. We need support from our male counterpart, to ensure that the formerly marginalized women have a place in the decision-making corridors of our nations. Indeed, no nation can develop sustainably when more than half of its population has no active role to play in the development discourse,” she said.