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Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa being shown a maize crop by K2 seed Sales and Marketing Manager Mr Winmore Machaka as Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Martin Dinha looks on at Chaminuka Vocational Training Centre during his routine Command Agriculture assessments yesterday. — Picture by John Manzongo

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
A Visiting French delegation on Thursday paid a courtesy call on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa Offices where it expressed France’s willingness to invest in the country, especially in the agricultural sector.

In an interview after the meeting, president of the French Parliament’s chapter of the Zimbabwe-France Parliamentary Friendship Association Mr Guilleme Chevrollier said France was keen to assist Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.

“We have exchanged with the Vice President possible areas of co-operation between Zimbabwe and France on the sector of agriculture, as well as the economic field,” he said.

“My impression of the country is very different from what I hear in the media. That is why we decided to come as the parliamentary commission from France to meet our parliamentary colleagues from Zimbabwe and authorities from the country.

“We hope that after our visit, France will be more present in Zimbabwe.”

Mr Rene Rouquet, who is a French legislator, said Vice President Mnangagwa briefed the delegation on the economic situation in Zimbabwe.

“The Vice President also briefed us on the country’s ambitions,” he said.

“We are going to participate in the development of the country. I have met French entrepreneurs who are keen to invest in the country.”

The delegation on Monday visited Parliament, with French Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Richard Boidin who was also present at yesterday meeting, describing as unfair the negative portrayal of Zimbabwe by Western media, saying reality on the ground did not match images conveyed abroad.

“What I said inside (to Cde Edna Madzongwe) is that we have to consider all the realities of Zimbabwe and not only the negative,” he said.

“The reality of Zimbabwe is very different from what you have when you are outside. For example, the two members of the association have been here since yesterday and what they have seen here they have not seen in the media outside.

“It is not fair to have a negative image only. Of course, there are problems, but there are also problems in France.”

During the meeting, Ambassador Boidin said the two associations had agreed to work together to correct the anomalies, among other initiatives to boost co-operation.

“The realities of Zimbabwe are so different with what they say in the media, which is why the presidents of the two groups have agreed to work together,” he said.

Mrs Pascale Lauze, a senior administrator with the National Assembly of France, is also part of the delegation.