The engagement and re-engagement drive championed by the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa continues to bear fruits, with Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu expected in Zimbabwe next week to consolidate relations that are growing between the two countries.
Minister Çavusoglu is expected in Zimbabwe from January 10 to 11.
During his visit, he is expected to discuss a range of issues with Acting President Constantino Chiwenga and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson, Mr Livit Mugejo, confirmed the impending visit.
“The Minister’s visit is meant to consolidate the robust and blossoming bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Turkey. This is the first high level visit to Zimbabwe by a Turkish Minister and is a testimony to the success of our engagement, re-engagement and re-affirmation policy.”
Zimbabwe and Turkey have always enjoyed cordial relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1982.
Harare opened its mission in Turkey in 2019, and Ambassador Shava has visited the country twice; first to inaugurate the embassy in 2021 as well as attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. He then went at the end of 2021 to attend the Turkey Africa Partnership Summit representing President Mnangagwa. On both occasions he held bilateral consultations with his Turkish counterpart, as Zimbabwe continues with its mantra, “a friend to all and an enemy to none”.
With the Government directing all its diplomats to mainly pursue economic diplomacy in the countries they are based, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Turkey, Alfred Mutiwazuka, has been central in promoting good relations between the two countries.
Yesterday, Ambassador Mutiwazuka said Turkey had good relations with Zimbabwe and never imposed any form of sanctions on Harare even at a time it seemed almost fashionable to do so from the year 2000.
Historically, Turkey was one of the first countries that condemned Ian Douglas Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 and supported the United Nations sanctions against Rhodesia. Said Ambassador Mutiwazuka: “We energised our bilateral relations which are poised to flourish with the opening of the Turkish Embassy in Harare in 2011 and Zimbabwean Embassy in Ankara in 2019.
“It should be noted that Turkey never disengaged from Zimbabwe, and has in fact echoed our clarion call for the immediate lifting of the illegal sanctions imposed by our detractors.”
Ambassador Mutiwazuka believes there is “huge potential for increased economic cooperation between Turkey and Zimbabwe”.
“When we established the embassy in 2019, bilateral trade was a mere US$19 million but the mission’s efforts together with those of our Turkish partners have seen the trade level steadily growing to US$29 million in 2020, US$31 million in 2021 and US$27 million as of August 2022.
“It is expected to reach US$40 million in December this year,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s exports to Turkey are concentrated on a few products mainly tobacco and agricultural products, iron alloys and unprocessed fertilisers.
On its part, Turkey mainly exports agricultural machinery and tractors, clothing, sanitary towels and articles of paper, articles of iron and steel, and plastics to Zimbabwe.
Turkish products with huge market potential in Zimbabwe include motor vehicles and road tractors, pasta, soya bean oil, pharmaceuticals and rubber tires. Zimbabwean products with export potential to Turkey are cotton, black tea, fruits and vegetables, and jewellery made of precious metals, waste and scrap iron and steel, wattle extract, building stone/granite, nuts, nickel and flours of fish.
Ambassador Mutiwazuka said Turkey has advanced technology in agriculture, automotives, textiles, health, construction, defence, mining, smart energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, ICTs and finance.
“Given Zimbabwe’s strategic location in SADC and COMESA, Turkish investments in the country, thus, also have vast regional markets as well as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“Sectors that have potential for Turkish investments in Zimbabwe include mining and mineral beneficiation, power generation (especially renewable energy), infrastructure and manufacturing (particularly textiles and food), construction, and farming,” he said.
Zimbabwe also stands to benefit from Turkish expertise, particularly through training of professionals in agriculture, medicine and defence and security.
Since the coming in of the Second Republic, Zimbabwe is seeking to mend relations with all countries that had shut the door on it, especially after implementing the successful Land Reform Programme.
Apart from mending bridges with previously hostile countries, Zimbabwe is consolidating relations with nations it continued to enjoy good relations with, as others were imposing sanctions.
Now a number of countries continue to embrace the Second Republic, especially after it successfully turned around the economy and is pushing massive infrastructure developments using locally generated funds.
Institutions of higher learning are also contributing towards national development through game-changing innovations at their innovation hubs. – The Herald
