Story by Abigirl Tembo
ZIMBABWE will now have a resident Ambassador in Belarus following the send-off ceremony for Mr Ignatius Graham Mudzimba to represent the country in the Eurasian country.
Ambassador Mudzimba received a briefing from President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, Harare this Thursday afternoon.
The close and long-standing relations between Zimbabwe and Belarus have been given an impetus following the appointment of Ambassador Ignatius Mudzimba to represent the country in the Eurasian nation.
Ambassador Mudzimba, who has represented Zimbabwe in Cuba and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, says his mission is to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two nations.
“I would like to thank His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the honour that he has given me by appointing me the first resident ambassador of Zimbabwe to the republic of Belarus. He has just briefed me on my mandate and I would like to assure him that I will discharge my mandate to the best of my ability. I am a foot soldier. I work on instructions and I will do exactly that.
“As you are aware, our corporation with Belarus is very wide and deep and therefore, my going there is to ensure that we strengthen our relations. There are already many areas for the corporation which are already running. When I get there, agriculture is on top of the list. There is a programme am sure you are aware of to mechanise our agriculture. Zimbabwe‘s economy rests largely on agriculture, so certainly agriculture is on top of the list,” he said.
Relations Between Zimbabwe and Belarus are at an all-time high, especially after the State visit by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko earlier this year which saw Zimbabwe and Belarus signing several cooperation agreements in areas such as agriculture, health, trade and investment.
After seeing off Ambassador Mudzimba, President Mnangagwa also met with the Salvation Army International leaders, General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle who are in the country for the Church‘s General congress running from this Thursday till Sunday.
“Today we had an opportunity to have an audience with the President of Zimbabwe and the purpose of our coming was to share something about the work of the Salvation Army in Zimbabwe.
“We have the support of the President in many ways and the best thing is that we can run our schools and our hospitals and help with women’s empowerment and the girl child, we do programmes across Zimbabwe and we are very grateful for the president‘s support. This is not my first time to Zimbabwe it is the 3rd but every time I come I feel the warmth of the people, the strength of the people and the great nation that Zimbabwe is,” said General Peddle.
General Brian Peddle was accompanied by his wife, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle who is the World President of Women’s Ministries, Commissioner Wayne Bungay, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Madagascar Territory Leader; Deborah Bungay – Territorial President for Women’s Ministries Zimbabwe, Botswana and Madagascar as well as Lt Colonel Juliet Nyakutsamwa – Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries Zimbabwe for Botswana and Madagascar.
