Legislators push for C’wealth re-admission Minister Sibusiso Moyo

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
LEGISLATORS have called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to vigorously pursue the country’s re-admission into the Commonwealth by year end.

The Ministry was also challenged to finalise and adopt a comprehensive Diaspora Policy considering input from all stakeholders.

Presenting its budgetary requirement for 2019, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade said the Ministry must place special focus on the re-admission of the country into the Commonwealth.

“The Ministry should vigorously pursue re-engagements considering the new thrust of economic diplomacy. The re-engagement effort should put special focus on Zimbabwe re-joining the Commonwealth and ensure that Zimbabwe is readmitted before the end of 2019,” said the committee in its recommendations.

Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 at the height of political tensions with the West over the fast-track land reform programme.

Since coming into office in November 2017, President Mnangagwa has set about engaging and re-engaging the international community as part of his socio-economic turnaround agenda.

President Mnangagwa on his return from the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York last year said the country is likely to be formally readmitted into the Commonwealth at the international body’s next Heads of State and Government Meeting scheduled for Rwanda in 2020.

The law makers in their report recommended that ambassadors and staff should be given performance linked contracts in order for the Ministry to cultivate and buttress the spirit and culture of hard work at Foreign Missions.

“The Committee welcomes the proposal by Treasury to reduce the number of Foreign Missions from 46 to 38. However, the committee recommends that a comprehensive cost–benefit analysis should be carried out to assist in identifying those missions which can be closed or clustered,” read the recommendations.

“The committee also called for speedy conclusion on this to avoid continued accumulation of debts in missions where the business opportunities are very low.

“Our Ambassadors and their staff should get their salaries in time and in foreign currency. Embassies in selected countries should be equipped to enable them to process and issue identity documents to our nationals working or living abroad at a fee, a part of which should be retained for use by the embassy,” reads the report.

They said efforts should be made to clear all outstanding debts at Diplomatic Missions not only to avoid tarnishing the image of the country but to also reduce stressing diplomats working under such conditions.

“The Office of the President and Cabinet should finalise as soon as possible the transfer of the Department of International Trade from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade including the budget,” reads the report.

Among the key priority areas for the Ministry in 2019 are strengthening and consolidating the political socio-economic cooperation, trade, investment and tourism between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world, building a positive image to the outside world and deepening mutually beneficial relations with our neighbours in Sadc, AU, Brics and other friendly countries.

“Deepening re-engagement with the West and other groups of countries and actively facilitating the implementation of the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap with the view to enhancing Zimbabwe’s economic competitiveness within the region and internationally,” reads the report.

— @AuxiliaK.

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