Zimbabwe Assured of SADC Support

Acting President Joice Mujuru welcomes Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Jane Kambalane at her Munhumutapa offices in Harare on June 5, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Zim assured of Sadc support

Wednesday, 05 June 2013 00:00
Zimbabwe Herald

Acting President Joice Mujuru welcomes Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Jane Kambalane at her Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday

Takunda Maodza Senior Reporter
MALAWI has pledged to firmly stand by Zimbabwe when it assumes the chair of Sadc this year.

President Joice Banda, who was recently in Zimbabwe for a five-day state visit, takes over the chair from President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique in August.

Speaking to journalists after paying a courtesy call on Acting President Joyce Mujuru at her Munhumutapa Offices yesterday, Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Jane Kambalane hailed relations between Harare and Lilongwe and pledged to further enhance them.

“I mentioned to Acting President Mujuru that Malawi will be taking over chairmanship of Sadc in August and so be assured of Malawi’s support throughout 2014-2015,” she said.

Ambassador Kambalane, accredited to Zimbabwe four months ago, thanked Acting President Mujuru for hosting President Banda during her visit to the country last month.

President Banda had a five-day visit to Zimbabwe in April during which she officially opened the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo and toured several institutions that highlight the success of the country’s land reform, indigenisation and economic empowerment policies.

Mrs Banda said her country would replicate the land reform and economic empowerment initiatives as they are integral in uplifting the livelihoods of the majority.

She pledged to send experts to study the programmes and recommend how they could be implemented in Malawi.

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Ambassador Kambalane described President Banda’s visit to Zimbabwe as successful and pledged to follow up on it through further strengthening of political, economic and bilateral relations.

“My role is to cement the relations and my meeting (with Acting President Mujuru) was in that spirit,” she said.

Also to pay courtesy calls on Acting President Mujuru were Switzerland’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Luciano Lavizzari, who expressed desire to strengthen collaboration in food security by supporting irrigation.

Ambassador Lavizzari said he got a briefing from Acting President Mujuru on the transitional process and the forthcoming elections.

He said Switzerland has been supporting the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission financially through non-governmental organisations and provided close to US$2 million.

Brazilian and Iranian ambassadors to Zimbabwe Marcia Maro Silva and Mohamad Aminejad also paid courtesy calls on Acting President Mujuru.

Ambassador Silva said her country was committed to further strengthening the already existing cordial relations between Brazil and Zimbabwe while Ambassador Aminejad underscored the need to cement the bilateral, political, economical and cultural relations between Tehran and Harare.