ZANU PF URGES DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY TO BE OBJECTIVE
ZANU PF Secretary of External Relations Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has urged the diplomatic community to exercise objectivity when it comes to Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.
Speaking during a Courtesy Call with the Switzerland Ambassador to Zimbabwe His Excellency Ambassador Nicullin Jager and his Senior Adviser, Political Affairs and Human Security, Pascal Holliger, Cde Mumbengegwi said maintaining objectivity will help improve relations between countries.
Switzerland has had great relations with the country seen through the many companies which are employing locals such as Nestle, Lafarge, Bata Shoe Company and Syngenta among others. Various developmental projects among them in agricultural irrigation systems have also benefitted the local people.
Cde Mumbengegwi said Zimbabwe is very encouraged to hear about the decision to have Zimbabwe as a priority for economic activity in the region and from knowing that Switzerland can be a worthy partner for development. He said this decision will encourage other countries.
He added that the Party is pleased that the EU is no longer as severe to the country as the Americans and hoped that Switzerland can do whatever it can to help America see that the sanctions they continue to tighten on Zimbabwe are not justified.
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He said a Party which fought for the liberation of its people cannot be a violator of human rights. He challenged all those making such allegations to produce concrete examples of violations of human rights instead of simply making unsubstantiated allegations.
Cde Mumbengegwi urged that the Diplomatic community to change its mode of operation, from focusing on the small negatives in the country and totally ignoring the many good and positive developments in the country.
He added that the Party welcomes and appreciates the activities that Switzerland has been undertaking to support Zimbabwe in droughts, cyclones and the reconstruction fund.
Switzerland Ambassador said that his country is willing to work in sharing Zimbabwe’s success story.
The Ambassador thanked the Secretary for External Relations for receiving his delegation adding that it has been a priority on their agenda to reach out to the Party. He said the meeting reflected his country’s foreign policy adding that Switzerland is an independent country which has a flexible and independent foreign policy seen through its commitment to Zimbabwe which has grown over the years.
The Ambassador highlighted that most people don’t know that many companies are Swiss among them Lafarge, Bata, Nestle and Syngenta among others. He said this presence of these companies shows the strong economic foot.
He said his country wants to see Zimbabwe’s success story. He said sharing Zimbabwe’s success stories is an opportunity to bring a lot of people on board and shape the agenda adding that more outreaches would help dispel the negative publicity being created about Zimbabwe.