Dr Masimba Mavaza

Herald Correspondent

THE election of President Mnangagwa in 2018 has led to a dramatic shift in Zimbabwe’s international image. Throughout the First Republic, nations around the world held Zimbabwe in low regard, with most opposed to its foreign policy and internal affairs. 

This was especially true among Western key allies and partners. Now, as we conclude the first five years of concerted international outreach, we find a significant uptick in ratings for the country and for President Mnangagwa with strong support for Zimbabwe and several of its major policy initiatives.

Cde Mnangagwa has become and is Zimbabwe’s chief diplomat whose diplomacy has wooed friends and foes alike. 

As a Chief Diplomat, President Mnangagwa has executed his duties with the advice and consent of the Parliament and Zimbabwe at large to make Zimbabwe a friend to all and an enemy to none.

The President has negotiated with foreign governments and appointed ambassadors in countries we had not envisaged ourselves as a country setting our foot there. 

This is a remarkable international re-engagement achieved by the President. These responsibilities make the President the Chief Diplomat of the Republic of Zimbabwe. 

During his administration, President Mnangagwa acted in this role while negotiating treaties, rallying world leaders to the cause of democracy, or otherwise representing the interests of Zimbabwe abroad.

He was able to attract investors and reformed Zimbabwe to be a user friendly nation.

The President has been invited to a historical moment where a monarch is being crowned in 70 years. It is a coronation of a century which President Mnangagwa is gracing. 

This shows that Great Britain, which comprises England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, has confidence in President Mnangagwa to do the right thing in world affairs. 

Looking at the invitations Zimbabwe has received from many nations, this shows confidence in President Mnangagwa. 

During the past two decades, presidential transitions have had a major impact on overall attitudes toward Zimbabwe. 

When President Mnangagwa took office in 2017, ratings improved in many nations compared with where they had been before. This year, Zimbabwe’s favourability is up again as the President sets foot in London after a long time of frozen relations. 

This year many people see Zimbabwe positively, approaching the high ratings that characterise the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra.

Presidential visits whether State, official or working, serve to shape and further a country’s foreign policy and country’s economy, and in some cases, alter the course of history. 

That is especially true for President Mnangagwa whose visit assumes historic significance as the first ever attendance of a Royal British coronation. In some cases, presidential visits rarely move the needle of world history, but this time it is historical without question.

We still vividly remember the President’s visit to Scotland when I was among the lucky few invited to join the business delegation. The highlight of that visit was his address to the joint session of COP 26. 

No other Zimbabwean President has been accorded that honour. He is also the only Zimbabwean President ever invited to be a special guest of honour on the Coronation Day celebrations.

President Mnangagwa was invited because he is a symbol of fighting oppression and bringing equality. The President did more to enhance the world’s perception of Zimbabwe than anyone has done. 

The President has used his visits early in his Presidency to create a special significance to us as a country diplomatically and economically
But as history has shown repeatedly, we are more comfortable and do better with countries who share our democratic values – than those who do not. At the very least, economic benefits do not come at the cost of high political and security trade-offs. President Mnangagwa has only been in office for five years and so he still has the opportunity to put balance in our foreign relations.

With this drive, the President deserves a second term to firmly place Zimbabwe in the safe driving seat in the world. As we can see, these visits come at the intersection of world events. Presidential trips since then have not caught the attention of the opposition, but have nonetheless been important domestically and internationally. 

They have served to affirm traditional alliances, open doors to new and non-traditional diplomatic partners, and promote business opportunities.

Although a feature in previous presidential visits, it is during Cde Mnangagwa’s term that Presidential visits became a deliberate tool for economic diplomacy and business generation.

President Mnangagwa has taken the economic diplomacy aspect of the visit further by attracting multitudes of investors which are now bearing fruit in the sprouting Zimbabwean economy.

It is no doubt that the symbolic aspect of such visits are as important, if not more, so given the numbers touted of business generated at each visit. 

Visits by the President to foreign States make it possible to ensure effective bilateral relations and further develop them. We should distinguish between six categories of visits ranging from the most formal, the State visit, to the least formal, the courtesy visit. 

State visit

The State visit is the most formal, being by a Head of State at the invitation of the other.

The second is the Official visit by a Head of State. Leaders of State are also invited by their counterparts and represented by the President. The visit involves official discussions with their counterpart or and with business people. 

The guest is received with military honours and playing of the national anthems.

Official visit by a Head of Government

An official visit by a Head of Government is also at the invitation of the other. It consists of official discussions with a host State.

Official visits by a member of a foreign government

This is a visit by a member of a foreign government at the invitation of his or her counterpart. It is the most common type of visit, and involves official discussions only.

Official working visit

The rules of protocol for an official working visit by a head of State or by a head or member of government are less strict than in the categories mentioned above.

Courtesy visit

A Head of State, head of government or member of a government may also pay a courtesy visit to the President of the host nation.

In most countries people make a stark distinction between Cdes Mnangagwa and Robert Mugabe as world leaders. Many countries have confidence in President Mnangagwa to do the right thing in Zimbabwe.

As is the case with views of Zimbabweans as a whole, confidence in the Presidents has shifted dramatically over the past five years.

President Mnangagwa’s high ratings are tied in part to positive assessments of his personal characteristics, and his open for business policy.

High levels of confidence in President Mnangagwa are also tied to favourable views of his policies, several of which have emphasised on growth and international engagement.

Despite sanctions, many describe Zimbabwean democracy, at least in its current state, as serving as a good model for other nations. Because of President Mnangagwa, many state that democracy in Zimbabwe is a good example for others to follow.

When President Mnangagwa arrives in the UK, he will meet with other leaders and champion the Zimbabwean cause.

The invitation of the President to the United Kingdom shows broadly positive views which reflect a sharp uptick since Cde Mnangagwa became the President of Zimbabwe.

In many places, favourable views of Zimbabwe have now rebounded to roughly the same levels that were seen soon after independence.

Views of Zimbabwean democracy and foreign policy both factor into how people feel about our country.

As the world welcomes President Mnangagwa, his presence will engrave the name of Zimbabwe into the investors’ itinerary.

Zimbabwe has been lifted high and such work would not have been possible without the efforts of  the President of Zimbabwe, Cde ED Mnangagwa.

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