Zimpapers Logo

Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter

Türkiye Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Berna Kasnakli Versteden yesterday paid a courtesy call on the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Rofina Chikava where they discussed deepening of bilateral relations and the Antalya Diplomacy Forum which will be held later this year.

The forum was supposed to be held in March last year, but was postponed due to the devastating earthquake that hit the country and neighbouring Syria leaving over 50 000 people dead and hundreds of thousands of others injured.

President Mnangagwa was invited to last year’s postponed event and is also expected to attend the rescheduled forum.

Speaking after the meeting, Ambassador Versteden said their discussed strengthening the cordial relations between the two countries.

“We have compared notes with Madame Acting Permanent Secretary as we begin the year and what we would like to achieve this year. 

“There will be important visits from Zimbabwe to Türkiye in the coming months. 

“We have started the preparations for that and we want to look through the past year and the coming year and what would be more achievable in terms of bilateral relations and also in the multilateral forums as well.

“I appreciate her time receiving us and I am sure we will enhance deepen Turkish-Zimbabwean relations in the year ahead too,” Ambassador Versteden said.

The intention of the ADF is to address the topical main global issues and to debate and analyse the challenges in the present and the future in line with the concept of networked security. 

A focal point of the conference is the discussion and the exchange of views on the development of the transatlantic relations as well as European and global security in the 21st century. 

Zimbabwe and Türkiye have over 40 years of diplomatic relations and expect to improve their relations especially in the fields of trade, agriculture, transport, health and education.