Story by Ruben Barwe, Chief Correspondent
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is on a four-day state visit to Belarus, where he has paid tribute to the country’s patriots and explored opportunities for economic cooperation.
During his visit, President Mnangagwa laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brest, a city with historical significance as a border town between Poland and Belarus. He noted that the symbols of resistance and freedom in Belarus serve as a reminder of the importance of national sovereignty.
The President also visited a modern dairy facility that processes 560 tonnes of raw milk daily, highlighting the potential for Zimbabwe to learn from Belarus’ agricultural expertise.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira, emphasised the strong relations between Zimbabwe and Belarus, citing over 50 agreements between institutions in fields such as technology, science, education, agriculture, and health. The two countries have also recognized each other’s qualifications, facilitating cooperation and exchange.
“Zimbabwe and the Republic of Belarus have excellent relations. This follows the state visit which was made by President Alexander Lukashenko to Zimbabwe in 2019. This is basically the consolidation of relations between our sisterly Republics. We are involved in many fields, mainly in the technological and science field and education,” he said
Professor Murwira noted that while Zimbabwe and Belarus are aligned politically and economically, the focus now is on growing their economic relationship. Mnangagwa’s visit aims to create an international environment conducive to Zimbabwe’s development.
“We have several agreements which range above 50 between institution to institution and we have now recognised each other’s mutual recognition of qualifications. We also have a lot of cooperation in the agricultural sector and health, you have seen the outcomes in Zimbabwe for example the tractors in the agricultural engineering sector.
“We are working with Belarus in all this, so basically we are aligned both politically and economically, but what is important now is to grow the economic part of our relationship. President Mnangagwa is pleased to be here and previously he was in the Russian Federation and now he is here doing the same thing, creating an international environment in which Zimbabwe can thrive,” he said.
President Mnangagwa’s state visit to Belarus has reaffirmed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, with a focus on deepening economic cooperation and leveraging Belarus’ expertise.
