[ad_1]
The Herald
Ranga Mataire
Vice principal
Covid-19 has fundamentally transformed the way countries conduct diplomacy and manage their international relations. In the case of Zimbabwe, the pandemic has paralyzed the country’s commitment and reintegration initiatives that were beginning to bear fruit in terms of unfreezing relations with former adversaries. Heraldo Deputy Editor Ranga Mataire (RM) I recently spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr. Sibusiso Busi Moyo (SB) on how Covid-19 has affected the country’s efforts and reincorporation plans to rescue Zimbabweans who are stranded outside the country
RM: Let’s start by looking at the state of readiness of our embassies in light of Covid-19 and how the pandemic has generally affected the government’s reinstatement efforts.
SB: IIn fact, Covid-19 has affected everyone in the world. It doesn’t matter if you are a diplomat or not. That’s a fact. Our commitment and re-commitment policy was in full swing. Our push to invite Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), tourism and safe markets was ongoing, but sadly the arrival of the wreaking harsh coronavirus has hampered the efforts of the ministry and embassies. We have had to instruct the embassies to reduce and comply with all the laws that are being applied in those host countries. The situation was that even now it was difficult to make a program to meet someone. Therefore, it is true that our embassies are affected to some extent.
RM: Has the government coordinated initiatives to repatriate citizens who could be stranded outside the country, especially in countries affected by the coronavirus?
SB: Yes, in reality, the Government of Zimbabwe has begun the repatriation of our stranded citizens abroad after the distress calls received at various embassies. As you know, the outbreak of this virus has caused most countries in the world to close their borders. The government has had to involve other governments to request authorization from our citizens who wish to return to their homes to obtain permission.
In some cases, we are actually doing this reciprocally by allowing the repatriation of citizens from other countries who are in our country. You will recall that we recently facilitated the repatriation of Pakistanis to Islamabad from our country who came from Zambia through Zimbabwe and to South Africa through OR Tambo International Airport.
RM: In terms of our stranded citizens outside the country; Do you have specific numbers and is country help needed?
SB: Since the closure began, I believe that more than 700 citizens have arrived from Botswana. Repatriation from our neighboring countries continues and efforts are being made to improve communication and coordination channels with the authorities there in Botswana to ensure that we at least organize the return of our citizens leaving that country. Last week, the first batch of 20 Namibian citizens was received in the country.
These returnees are quarantined at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School in Victoria Falls. So far distress calls have come from as far away as China, where nearly 300 citizens have registered for repatriation back to Zimbabwe. These are people who were caught by Covid-19, but most of the students who were in the universities are fine.
We also have in the UAE some of our citizens who have contacted our embassy in Abu Dhabi to register their wish to return home. Similarly, India has some Zimbabweans who went for medical treatment and approached our mission for help to return home. The largest number of Zimbabweans seeking to return home is basically from the region. In this regard, we are currently participating in negotiations regarding our citizens in South Africa who wish to return home.
Our diplomatic mission there has opened a web link for all distressed citizens who wish to return home. As of May 1, 2020, we expected to repatriate around 3,000 from South Africa. In addition, more than 4,000 Zimbabweans at risk in that country have registered to receive food assistance and we are working with the Department of Social Welfare and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) so that we can help them. We have also had many Zimbabweans stranded on boats, who are working on boats.
For example, we receive distress calls from our citizens who are currently at sea working for various international cruises and are looking to return home. One of those ships from the United States; We were informed that he is currently heading to Cape Town and we have approximately 30 Zimbabweans on board. There is also a second on the way, in which we still have to determine the number of Zimbabweans on board.
RM: Do you have the exact number of UK citizens who wish to return home?
SB: In the UK we have quite a few, but our challenge at the moment, even with many other countries like India, is the lack of airlines.
RM: What is the latest update regarding the restructuring of embassies in terms of reducing costs by reducing numbers and adapting them to the new impetus of the New Dispensation anchored in economic diplomacy?
SB: Well, in the diplomatic arena, opening and closing an embassy requires multi-stakeholder consultation. Announcing shutdown missions could jeopardize the entire process before it even begins. Therefore, the disconnection process requires diplomatic commitment from the host country itself because they will tell why the embassy is closing. Is it because our relationships are bad?
There are some internal administrative processes that must be followed; advise staff to avoid the shock of viewing information in the press. However, you may want to know that, driven by our national drive for engagement and re-engagement, we have definitely downsized many embassies and opened new ones as well.
We have reduced embassies and staff to relocate in accordance with their new mandate. We recently deployed many diplomats after rigorous training to guide them to understand economic diplomacy. As we did so, we were opening other missions where we were identifying potential markets. We have opened embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Rwanda and we are still in the process of closing some like in Singapore.
RM: Still in re-engagement; Can you briefly describe how far a country we have come by rejoining the Commonwealth?
SB: First, let me tell you that the process of rejoining the Commonwealth was and is in the interest of Zimbabweans to benefit, but not to satisfy certain capitals. As a result, we indicated that we wanted to rejoin. So there is a whole process of reincorporation that we have had to follow. We have gone through all the processes and, as far as we are concerned, we have even managed to invite the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission.
It was an unprecedented move because legally, the Commonwealth cannot observe an election in a non-member state. But we managed to agree with the Secretary General, Madame Patricia Scotland, until she constituted a mission, which came to observe our elections. That was after my first visit to London when I met the now Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
We had breakfast together and he was optimistic as far as I was concerned about seeing Zimbabwe back in the Commonwealth. So, the observation of the elections was the first evaluation and they remember that there was a second evaluation mission. In fact, that second assessment mission came to Zimbabwe when I was in the UK for the second time, where I met the secretary-general. And on many other occasions, the secretary general met with President Mnangagwa in New York and everything moved positively.
Then we presented problems related to our Constitution and, finally, some capitals decided to say that our reforms were slow. Well, we told them honestly that it is not that we are so hungry to be in the Commonwealth, but we thought that we could be together with our brothers with whom we had been familiar for a long time. But if some capitals are opinion-formers in the Commonwealth, then it becomes problematic. What comforts us is that we have some countries in Africa, Asia and everywhere that support Zimbabwe joining the Commonwealth.
RM: Are you sure that after Covid-19, something positive could come out regarding the Commonwealth?
SB: I don’t want to take that position. All I can say is that we have a right to be there.
RM: Minister, in your assessment, how are Zimbabwe-Britain relations likely to be in the post-Brexit era?
SB: I am surprised on one side, but not on the other side. It was the United Kingdom that influenced the European Union (EU) to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe. So naturally the thought is that when they leave the EU, they would like to get out with their paperwork and that paperwork includes sanctions in Zimbabwe. On the other hand, we had had many bilateral relationships and this has been in line with the assumption of office since November 24, 2017 when His Excellency President Mnangagwa made the commitment and the new commitment the hallmark of his New Dispensation. And this positive interactive foreign policy has generated a multifaceted and palpable growth in relations between Zimbabwe and Great Britain, which gives confidence that these bilateral relations progress progressively towards normalization, not towards the retention of illegal sanctions. Therefore, evidence of growing bilateral relations includes that, at the request of Great Britain, Zimbabwe and Great Britain have just signed and ratified an interim trade agreement for Eastern and Southern Africa.
RM: What does that mean Minister? What is the meaning of this agreement?
SB: We signed this agreement at the end of last year. There are groupings of nations in the Pacific and also in Africa. Zimbabwe was apparently grouped within the islands of Mauritius and Seychelles. This positive characteristic gave confidence that our bilateral relations were directed towards normalization. Last month alone, Britain became the largest contributor ($ 43.6 million) to Zimbabwe’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Zimbabwe is very grateful and we appreciate that support and when we interact we speak as equal brothers, partners. In February 2020, the Government hosted a British government delegation that came to amicably negotiate the repatriation of Zimbabweans, who are in the social welfare. And this was possible thanks to His Excellency President Mnangagwa. This type of cooperation is a good accumulation for the normalization of our bilateral relations.
RM: So why this perpetuation of sanctions by Britain itself, which you say was the instigator of the economic embargo in the EU?
SB: We have received unremitting calls from Britain and other countries to institute various reforms, and President Mnangagwa has embarked on the implementation of a wide range of reforms that also give confidence that the international community, including the United Kingdom, will accept this as a basis. not to continue the isolation of Zimbabwe. You will recall that even on the fiscal front, these reforms have resulted in the New Dispensation now progressively achieving a monthly budget surplus rather than the perennial monthly budget deficit. The recent World Bank rating has also improved our position to number 51 out of approximately 170 countries.
RM: From what you say, does that mean there is hope that relations between Zimbabwe and Great Britain will turn for the better?
SB: Removing sanctions is a process, not an event, but our expectations are that very soon we will have meetings between ourselves and the EU. These meetings are those that result in the understanding of certain facts. What complicated or abolished the process we had started were the changes we have had in the UK. We waited for the changes to be established before we could resume bilateral commitments. It’s usually easier to have virtual meetings with someone you’ve met before. Right now, most leaders’ focus is on saving lives and it is not the ideal time to let someone refocus on something else.
RM: Lastly, Minister, what is your overall assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on Zimbabwe’s international trade and what plans are there to train companies in the post-pandemic period?
SB: I think in general; Covid-19 is a bad virus, but what I assure you is that it has made everyone in the global village talk to each other. Second, within nations, it has united nations.
Not only to unite nations, but to find time to reflect and rethink the opportunities and diverse interests, which are available as a result of Covid-19. In my opinion, the impact of Covid-19 is such that it closed borders and means that nations eat what they produce and that is why President Mnangagwa quickly realized this balance: that we have to deal with Covid-19 simultaneously with the economy.
We need to put our hands together. A good example is that we are one of the few countries in the world that produces platinum in second place after South Africa and Russia. If we want to unite with South Africa, we can form an oligopoly and then we will have our own market; have our own bank; have a coin and that will be the basis of what I see that Covid-19 is impacting nations.
It is the spirit of collaboration. We must integrate our region. The regional integration agenda must be the highest priority at SADC. The impact of Covid-19 must be viewed in terms of opportunities, and then those opportunities must be addressed as a united force. The unit that has been shown during the course of this Covid-19 pandemic if maintained afterwards, this country will fly.
