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Herald Reporter
Government employees involved in diplomacy, trade and tourism will soon receive a boost in their skills set and qualifications following the proclamation by President Mnangagwa to establish the Zimbabwe Foreign Service Institute (ZFSI).

The President established the ZFSI through Proclamation 2 of 2020 contained Statutory Instrument 151 of 2020.

He issued the proclamation by virtue of his powers in determining the country’s foreign policy.

ZFSI comes at a time when Government has prioritised engagement and re-engagement in its foreign policy, while promoting economic diplomacy to fulfil targets set under Vision 2030.

The mandate of the ZFSI includes provision of training facilities and courses for foreign service officers and other such officers from Government departments in the fields of diplomacy, international relations, trade and tourism and such fields as may be approved from time-to-time by the Board of Governors.

“Recognising the need for improving the professional skills and qualifications of persons posted to represent the country in other countries, now therefore under and by virtue of the prerogative powers vested in the President in the sphere of foreign affairs, I do by this Charter establish the Zimbabwe Foreign Service Institute,” said the President.

The President will also be the Patron of the Institute.

ZFSI will also issue academic certificates in connection with its courses, cooperate with other training institutions or bodies established for the advancement of diplomacy and international relations generally, conduct research and analytical studies in diplomacy and international affairs so as to advise the Government of Zimbabwe with various foreign policy options, make grants or award fellowships or any other similar award to any person for the advancement of skills in diplomacy and international relations and charge fees in respect of any services rendered.

It will have the powers to affiliate with other institutions of higher learning.

The ZFSI shall be governed by a board of governors appointed by the Minister (responsible for Foreign Affairs or any other assigned by the President) and will consist of one member from the Public Service Commission well versed in human resources management, one member appointed from the ministry responsible for tourism; one member appointed from the ministry responsible for International Trade; one member appointed from the Ministry responsible for Publicity and Information, and the director-general of the ZFSI who shall be the secretary and ex-officio member of the board.

The director-general will be appointed by the board.

One member shall be an executive member of ZimTrade, while four others shall be drawn from an agency responsible for investment facilitation and promotion, commerce, industry and any university in Zimbabwe on the basis of their knowledge of and expertise in the areas of diplomacy and international relations.

The Minister (of Foreign Affairs) shall appoint one board member as chairperson, while the board of governors shall, at its first meeting, elect one board member as vice-chairperson who shall exercise the functions of the chairperson during any period that the chairperson is unable to exercise his or her function.