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Africa Moyo-Deputy News Editor

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava last night led Zimbabwe’s delegation to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in Turkey.

The ADF runs from June 18 to 20, under the theme, “Innovative Diplomacy: New Era, New Approaches”.

It will also serve as a key forum for dialogue between Zimbabwe and Turkey.

The ADF comes as Harare and Ankara continue to strengthen relations in various fields including diplomacy and the economy.

In a statement yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry spokesperson, Mrs Constance Chemwayi, said in light of the Government’s thrust of engagement and re-engagement with the international community, the growing relevance of Turkey as a melting pot of cultures, traditions and modern diplomatic practices, feeds well into Zimbabwe’s goals and aspirations.

She said Turkey has a vibrant diplomatic academy situated in its foreign Affairs and Ambassador Shava’s visit to Antalya and to Ankara will help Zimbabwe’s delegation to exchange notes as Harare was in the process of establishing its own Foreign Service Institute.

Turkey’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Hakan Kivanc, yesterday told The Herald that Ambassador Shava will have a bilateral engagement with his counterpart, Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. 

“While in Turkey, they will officially open the Zimbabwe Embassy in Ankara, which started in 2019, but because of Covid-19, we couldn’t make the official opening,” said Ambassador Kivanc.

A further agreement of diplomatic and official passports will be signed soon too.

Ambassador Shava’s visit is expected to lay the ground for President Mnangagwa’s visit at some stage, either later this year or next year, to deepen relations with Turkey.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda is also expected to lead another delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group made up of legislators from across the political divide.

“This trip will also signify relations at the parliamentary level between the two countries,” said Ambassador Kivanc.

Sometime in August, another delegation led by Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, will travel to Turkey to attend the 15th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF).

The IDEF will be held from August 17 to 20 at Tüyap Fair and Congress Centre located in Istanbul, under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, hosted by the Ministry of National Defence.

Zimbabwe and Turkey enjoy cordial diplomatic relations since 1982.  Turkey opened an Embassy in Harare in June 2011 while Zimbabwe opened an Embassy in Ankara in 2019.

But Ambassador Kivanc said although relations between the “two brothers” are growing, he is not too happy with trade figures, which were at US$20,9 million in 2019. 

Zimbabwe’s exports to Turkey amounted to US$13,9 million while Turkey’s exports to Zimbabwe were US$7 million.

Comparatively and as a benchmark of how much potential exists for increased trade volumes between Zimbabwe and Turkey, it is noted Ankara’s imports from African countries totalled close to US$4,7 billion in 2019.

Both countries believe the trade volumes are too low and in that respect, several cooperation agreements are being negotiated to boost business and trade while others are already. 

Some of the agreements include: avoidance of double taxation, cooperation in agriculture, cooperation in ICTs, cooperation in the field of youth and sports, cooperation in education and higher education, and cooperation in health and medical sciences, among others.

Ambassador Kivanc believes the establishment of direct flights on the Harare, Victoria Falls and Istanbul route by Turkish Airlines in the near future, will push up the volumes.

Asked when Turkish Airlines might start plying the route, he said he did not “have a concrete date although all the legal background concerned” such as an air traffic agreement, were in place.

In addition to the MoU signed between the National Railways of Zimbabwe and Turkish construction giant, Yapi Merkez, another agreement will be signed with Turkey’s national railways company on various areas of cooperation.

Turkey is keen to take up investments in energy, road, rail, automotive parts and the tourism sectors, among others.

Ambassador Kivanc presented his credentials to President on February 15, 2018 while Ambassador Alfred Mutiwazuka, Zimbabwe’s first Ambassador since the opening of the embassy in Ankara, presented his letters of credence on November 21, 2019.