Story by Reuben Barwe, Chief Correspondent
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Official Visit to Belarus has ushered in a new phase of cooperation between Zimbabwe and the Eastern European nation, marked by the signing of eight Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) aimed at deepening economic collaboration.
The agreements focus on key areas such as infrastructure development, industrialisation and healthcare.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Belarusian President His Excellency Alexander Lukashenko said since the visit by President Mnangagwa many years ago, when he was Vice President, new doors and horizons were opened between the two sister republics.
“We have identified new joint projects and paid special attention to the development of promising areas, including inter-regional cooperation and industrial cooperation. We are ready to support Zimbabwe in the establishment of a complex healthcare system and ship medical products and special equipment from Belarus to address the issue of healthcare and to provide medical care and help to women and children and the entire population of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We signed a package of bilateral documents. This package is based on the roadmap for the period of 2026 to 2030 which includes all key projects in different areas. We agreed to establish a commission at the level of the heads of states that will become a strategic tool at the highest level, allowing to coordinate the activities of already existing joint commissions and committees.
President Mnangagwa said Belarus, with a glorious history, has defied all odds, including the illegal Western sanctions by some countries, and its economic development is a marvel, and Zimbabwe is pleased to cooperate with Belarus.
“We reflected on the significant achievements of our partnership over the past few years. We have been particularly gratified by the increased high-level interactions and expanded cooperation we have seen since President Lukashenko’s State Visit to Zimbabwe in 2023. You will recall that during that visit, we signed the overarching framework of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Belarus to ensure an effective follow-up in the implementation of our growing strategic interests across all key sectors,” he said.
“We now look forward to taking our bilateral interactions to the next level by leveraging Zimbabwe’s strategic location within Southern Africa. The initiative to our position in Zimbabwe as a regional manufacturing hub for Belarusian products is therefore a welcome development that will strengthen our bilateral trade and support broader regional economic integration in Southern Africa.
“As Zimbabwe pursues its Vision 2030 agenda, partnerships such as the one we have with the Republic of Belarus are critical in accelerating our industrialisation efforts and maximising the beneficiation of our rich agricultural and mineral resources. We believe that together, we can develop a solid framework for investment that fosters a vibrant industrial sector, boosts productivity, and transforms our respective economies.”
The camaraderie of the two presidents has seen the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa visit Belarus twice as head of state, whilst President Alexander Lukashenko’s first visit to Africa was to Zimbabwe in 2023.
