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Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
Saharawi Republic President Mr Brahim Ghali arrived in the country yesterday on a two-day official visit.

He was welcomed at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri and Minister of State for Harare Miriam Chikukwa, among other senior Government officials.

President Ghali later met President Mnangagwa at State House.

They discussed several issues, including strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.

In an interview after meeting President Ghali, President Mnangagwa said: “There has been a longstanding revolutionary relationship between the Zimbabwean revolution and theirs during our armed struggle until we became independent.

“We recognise them at independence and I think you remember that it was at the advent of the Zimbabwe admission to the AU; OAU at the time, that we were able to have Saharawi Republic become a member of the AU.

“So, there are very strong bonds between Zimbabwe and Saharawi Republic.

“He has come to continue to strengthen and solidify that relationship that has existed all this time.”

Vice President Chiwenga welcomes Sahrawi President Brahim Ghali at Robert Mugabe International Airport yesterday. – Picture by Tawanda Mudimu

President Ghali said his visit to Zimbabwe was meant to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

“This is a working visit to our comrades and allies in Zimbabwe to further strengthen our bilateral relations at the level of Government and also at the party level,” he said.

“We discussed bilateral, regional and international issues. I would like to thank President Mnangagwa for allowing us to visit Zimbabwe and we really feel that this is our second country.

“We discussed with His Excellency the various ways and methods that we can cooperate to assist us and His Excellency knows that the things Zimbabwe can do to Saharawi people and the kind of assistance the country can give to Saharawi to get its independence.”

Saharawi is fighting to get independence from Morocco.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi was also part of the State House meeting.

Mr Ghali is on a tour of the region.

He has been to South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia appealing to the region to put pressure on Morocco to end its colonisation of Saharawi.

The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic is a former Spanish colony annexed by Morocco in 1975.

President Ghali is expected to visit the National Heroes Acre and Victoria Falls today.