Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Editor
ZIMBABWE and Ethiopia have reaffirmed their longstanding Pan-African partnership, agreeing to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen collaboration within the African Union framework.
The commitment was made during a meeting between Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira, and Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Dr Gedion Timothewos, on the sidelines of the 49th Session of the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa.
The two ministers agreed to convene the Zimbabwe-Ethiopia Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) before the end of the year to unlock new opportunities for collaboration across key sectors.
They also discussed preparations for a Pan-African Heritage Programme to be held alongside next year’s African Union Summit to showcase the continent’s shared history and cultural identity.
Professor Murwira said the discussions also focused on strengthening the African Union and advancing the ideals of Pan-Africanism.
“We are going to convene our Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation before the end of this year. We are also going to work on a Pan-African Heritage programme to showcase our shared heritage on the sidelines of next year’s summit.
“We also discussed strengthening African unity and ensuring that the African Union becomes financially stronger because we must own our Union, not only in name, but financially. Both countries have very strong Pan-African credentials, and our foreign policies are guided by the principle of Pan-Africanism,” he said.
