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Political Editor

INVESTORS and traders should utilise the newly opened Zimbabwean Embassy in Turkey to promote investment that will mutually benefit the two countries, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava has said.

In his remarks at the official opening of the country’s embassy in Ankara, Turkey yesterday, Ambassador Shava called upon investors to put the new diplomatic station, which started in 2019 but because of the Covid-19 pandemic could not be officially opened, to good use.

As a follow-up to the opening of the embassy, a further agreement of diplomatic and official passports will be signed soon.

The visit by Ambassador Shava’s 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.

Speaking at the same ceremony, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Zimbabwe holds a special place for Turkey.

“With the opening of Zimbabwe Embassy in Ankara, it is evident that our relations are growing stronger each day. 

“This embassy will further develop links between our business people as well as flourishing education and tourism between our nations,” he said.

The Turkish Foreign Minister noted that 13 years ago, there were just ten African embassies, which have since expanded to 37.

“So the increase has been 27 within 13 years, indeed this is a reflection of deepening of relations with Africa,” Cavusoglu said.

With the Second Republic’s thrust of economic and trade diplomacy, Zimbabwe is seeking to increase its trade with Turkey with both countries of the view that current volumes are too low.

In that respect, several cooperation agreements are being negotiated to boost business and trade while others are already in place.

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.

Zimbabwe’s ease of doing business environment continues to attract investment interests across the globe. 

Recently, Turkish Construction companies expressed interest in developing infrastructure in Zimbabwe.

As relations between the two countries grow, Zimbabwe is set to dispatch several teams to Turkey to explore further possible areas of cooperation.

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.

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 fair 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.