Asia-Africa summit vindication of Look East policy: Minister Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi

Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi

From Caesar Zvayi in JAKARTA, Indonesia
The Asia-Africa Summit that begins here today is a strong vindication of the Look East policy adopted by the government at the turn of the millennium that has seen Zimbabwe strengthening relations with the Asian bloc, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said yesterday.

The Summit is being held under the theme ‘‘Advancing South-South Co-operation’’.

Since Zimbabwe’s adoption of the Look East policy, Minister Mumbengegwi said, other countries in Africa, Europe together with the United States had followed suit, vindicating President Mugabe’s vision in recognising the importance of the eastern hemisphere in economic and geopolitical terms.

Minister Mumbengegwi is part of President Mugabe’s delegation to the Asia-Africa Summit that coincides with celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference that was convened by Indonesia’s independence hero, Sukarno in 1955.

President Mugabe, who is accompanied by the First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe, arrived here yesterday morning and was welcomed at Halim Perdanakusum International Airport by Foreign Affairs Minister Mumbengegwi, Ambassador to Indonesia Alice Mageza and Indonesia’s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Zimbabwe embassy staff.

‘‘The Look East policy is an important pillar of our foreign policy. As you will recall, our President Cde RG Mugabe was probably the first to enunciate the idea, the importance of the East, by pronouncing the Look East policy. Now it has become a popular phrase where the whole of Africa, the whole of Europe, the whole of America, are now all looking East following the pronouncement of His Excellency, the President.

‘‘So naturally, a forum such as this one where Africa and Asia are meeting in order to work together and co-operate politically and economically is really a resounding vindication of the correctness and foresight of the President who many, many years ago enunciated the Look East policy and now is being vindicated by this formal partnership between Africa and the countries of the East,’’ Minister Mumbengegwi said.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe has a busy schedule over the next three days as he will co-chair the Asia-Africa conference that begins here today with host President Wido Widodo, and also represent the African Union – which he chairs – and speak for during the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Bandung Conference on Friday.

The commemorations will be held at Gedung Merdeka, the Asia-Africa Conference Museum, where the inaugural Asia-Africa Conference was convened exactly 60 years ago.

In addition to the official duties that stem from his chairmanship of the African Union, the President will also hold bilateral talks with several heads of state and government attending the conference and commemorations.

Minister Mumbengegwi revealed the schedule in a briefing with Zimbabwean journalists saying requests for bilateral engagements were pouring in.

‘‘The heads of state and government are going to Bandung for this commemoration. His Excellency the President Cde RG Mugabe is going to speak for Africa at the Bandung conference. And on the 22nd and 23rd, His Excellency the President Cde RG Mugabe is going to co-chair the Summit (Asia-Africa) together with the host, Indonesia.

‘‘Of course, this is in recognition of his important role as the chair of the African Union. Since this is a gathering of Asia and Africa, it’s only natural that the chair of the African Union be the leader and co-chair of the Summit and be the spokesperson of the continent during the conference in Bandung,’’ he said.

Among the bilateral engagements, President Mugabe is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Widodo and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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