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Mukudzei Chingwere-Herald Reporter

SPAIN is warming up to normal bilateral relations with Zimbabwe and is laying the ground for closer collaboration ahead of its assumption of the European Union presidency.

The thawing of Zimbabwe-Spanish relations come on the back of the re-engagement drive by the Second Republic in a new foreign policy enunciated by President Mnangagwa in which Harare is a friend to all and an enemy to none.

This has seen most European countries now moving into more normal relations with Zimbabwe for the mutual benefit of everyone.

Speaking after a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava in Harare yesterday, Spanish Ambassador to Zimbabwe Natividad Isabel Pena-Bonilla said the two countries have a lot to benefit from close co-operation.

“Both parties have expressed interest in deepening our relationship and working in those areas that Zimbabwe and Spain have common interests, of which there are plenty of them, but I would talk precisely of gender equality and smart agriculture, something where we can also work together,” said Ambassador Pena-Bonilla.

“We have agreed to try to improve economic and commercial relationships and also try to strengthen our political relationships in the view of the next Spanish presidency of the European Union”.

The rotating EU presidency is held by Sweden, whose Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Asa Pehrson, also met Minister Shava yesterday.

The Swedish Ambassador said her country envisages closer economic relations with Zimbabwe.

“I had a very fruitful conversation with Honourable Minister Shava on current affairs and mutual interest and how we (can) strengthen our bilateral relations,” said Ambassador Pehrson.

“Sweden and Zimbabwe go a long way back in time and the engagement is very broad. We are so happy to build on that engagement in different ways. For example, through our development co-operation but also through engagements in other sectors such as the business sector and . . . looking at opportunities on how to engage.

“The reason why we are doing that is because we believe that we have a role as a friend of Zimbabwe to help out and support democratic development,” said Ambassador Pehrson.