Monday, February 25, 2013

Africa-South America Summit Adopts Declaration in Equatorial Guinea

ASA summit adopts Declaration

Sunday, 24 February 2013 00:00
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail

President Mugabe shared a cake with his Equatorial Guinea counterpart President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo at a reception the latter hosted in Malabo on February 22, 2013 to celebrate Cde Mugabe’s 89th birthday. Joining in the jubilation is First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe.

Tendai Mugabe recently in MALABO, Equatorial Guinea

The Third Africa-South America Summit ended in Malabo, Equatorial
Guinea on Friday with the adoption of the Malabo Declaration which contains a number of resolutions aimed at enhancing South-South cooperation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi , who was part of President Mugabe’s delegation, told journalists soon after landing at the Harare International Airport that the summit was a resounding success. He said the summit approved the formation of a Presidential Committee that would be the supreme decision making organ of the group between summits that are held after every three years.

“As you know the theme of the summit relates to South-South co-operation. The Summit discussed strategies and mechanisms to promote South-South cooperation.

“Most of the time was spent discussing this issue and it was agreed to set up a Presidential Committee as the highest to coordinate implementation of our resolutions.

“A permanent secretariat based in Venezuela was also approved to run day to day coordination and implementation of our cooperation,” he said.

Minister Mumbengegwi said the summit resolved to come up with an ASA fund to finance its projects.

He said member states would voluntarily make contributions to the fund that would eventually evolve into a South Bank.

Minister Mumbengegwi added that the Malabo Summit agreed to come up with a follow up mechanism to monitor implementation of agreed projects on both sides of the Atlantic.

He said the Summit also deliberated on other issues such as education, information, trade, communication and technology among other issues.

Minister Mumbengegwi said the African side at the last ASA summit proposed 30 projects where it could cooperate with its South American counterparts.

“So far South America has expressed interest in 16 projects. However implementing this has not been done and the reason being the lack of an implementation framework,” he said.

Minister Mumbengegwi said the South-South cooperation had great potential to turn around economic fortunes of ASA member states as the countries were endowed with vast natural resources.

He disclosed that Brazil had committed to work with African countries in various areas such agriculture as a way of boosting economic benefits.

He said Zimbabwe was the first beneficiary of small scale farming scheme that was being financed by the Brazilian Government.

Away from the summit President Mugabe , who was among the Heads of State and Government that attended the Third ASA Summit, was thrown a birthday dinner by the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

The birthday dinner was attended by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and other senior Government officials.

Meanwhile the Head of State and Government and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces returned home last night.

He was welcomed at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu, Service Chiefs and senior Government officials.

The Third ASA summit was held under the theme” Strategies and Mechanisms for Strengthening South-South Cooperation.”

No comments: