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Harare Bureau
RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected in the country on Monday on an official three-day visit during which a number of trade and investment deals would be sealed. He is leading a high-powered business delegation with interest in various sectors of the economy including mining, energy, agriculture and infrastructure development.

Minister Lavrov’s visit would be preceded by the First Session of the Zimbabwe-Russia Joint Permanent Commission on Economic, Technical and Trade Cooperation beginning in Harare today (Friday).

He will pay a courtesy call on President Mugabe and participate in the commissioning of the Darwendale Integrated Platinum Group Metals Project on Tuesday.

Russian companies have a stake in the project.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Minister Lavrov’s visit in a statement yesterday.

“The Joint Commission is expected to discuss cooperation in trade and investment, mining, energy, agriculture, information communication technology, transport, infrastructure development, tourism, and tertiary education sectors, among other issues,” the statement said.

It added: “The visit by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the holding of the Joint Commission are indicative of the long standing excellent relations between the two countries and the mutual desire to further enhance these relations.”