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Innocent Ruwende Harare Bureau—
VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday met Chinese and South African envoys and discussed ways of speeding up the implementation of deals signed between the two countries and Zimbabwe last year. China is promising Zimbabwe a “special share” of the $ 60 billion it is going to invest in Africa in the next three years while South African companieswant to invest heavily in Zimbabwe.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Huang Ping, who was first to pay a courtesy call on VP Mnangagwa, said he wanted to make sure that the signed deals were implemented. “We discussed several issues focusing on how to implement the fruits, which came out of my President (Xi Jinping)’s visit. You know we signed mega deals. We want to make sure the implementation goes well.

“President Xi Jinping made an announcement that China is going to invest $60 billion in the next three years in African countries. I also want to make sure that as ambassador of China to Zimbabwe, China’s special friend gets a special share,” he said.

South Africa Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mpakama Mbete, also said he would work hard and make sure deals signed between his country and Zimbabwe were implemented.

“We’re working to make sure our leaders meet in the not too distant future to review those deals and see what progress has been made. Activities are going on in terms of agreements we made last year between the two countries when the Bi-National Commission sat in South Africa.

“So yes, we’re working on that (deals) to ensure there are concrete results in the implementation so that when the Bi-National Commission sits whenever it sits, concrete reports will be given to the head of states of both countries,” he said.

He said VP Mnangagwa had also briefed him on the economic and political situation in Zimbabwe. He said the meeting was educative and VP Mnangagwa briefed him on the introduction of bond notes among other issues.

“He referred to the history of the relationship between the ruling parties of the two countries and reflected very positively on those and the need for us to move forward and build our relationship as the two countries.

“So it was largely me listening and getting an overview of the situation in Zimbabwe from the Vice President. It was very useful to get it at this high level. And it sets me up for my own work at the embassy in terms of building the relationship between my country and Zimbabwe,” he said.

Last August, Zimbabwe and China signed nine landmark agreements that will see the emerging global giant from Asia providing financial support for the much-needed economic enablers in critical sectors that include energy, roads, railway network, telecommunications, agriculture and tourism as part of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.

Zimbabwe and South Africa also signed three landmark agreements and two memoranda of understanding that are expected to steer bilateral relations and development of the two neighbours to greater heights.

The agreements were a culmination of President Mugabe’s historic, second State visit there during which his closed-door deliberations with host President Jacob Zuma opened a new chapter in the already warm relationship.