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An Agreement of Cooperation between the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the National Assembly of the Parliament of Zimbabwe was signed yesterday.
The Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob Francis Mudenda is on a Bilateral Visit to Russia and is accompanied by Hon. Webster Shamu, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Hon. Nyasha Masoka, Member of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Hon. Godfrey Dube, Member of the Portfolio Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and Hon. Aliginia Samson, Member of the Portfolio Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
The Hon. Speaker had an opportunity to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin Wall with Members of Parliament each laying a bouquet of flowers. Soon after the wreath-laying ceremony, the delegation, led by the Hon. Speaker met with Hon. Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, Chairperson of the State Duma.
Key in their discussions was the need to strengthen the existing relations between Zimbabwe and Russia as well as Parliamentary cooperation between the two legislatures. In this context, the Speakers welcomed the Cooperation Agreement between the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the State Duma. The Agreement will ensure permanent and mutually beneficial relations between the two legislatures.
In his address, Hon Mudenda said Russia and Zimbabwe enjoy cordial political and economic bilateral relations which predate Zimbabwe’s independence.
He said there is a need for the two Assemblies to continually share best Parliamentary practices in order to enhance democracy, the rule of law, and the upholding of human rights in their respective jurisdictions.
The visit takes place in the middle of the Russian Federation military campaign in Ukraine which started on 24th February 2022. The war is now in its seventh month and not abating.
Hon Mudenda said the Russian Federation’s special operation in Ukraine, though demonised by western media, is predicated on legitimate historical security concerns arising from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) and the United States of America’s unrelenting expansionist policies which pose an incontrovertible danger to the Russian Federation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“As is a common cause, on Saturday 2nd March 2022 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that strongly admonished the Russian Federation for launching a special military operation against Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation and unconditional withdrawal of Russian military forces. The resolution was supported by 141 of the General Assembly’s 193 Member States with Zimbabwe among the more than 30 countries abstaining from voting. Five countries, including Russia, Syria, Ethiopia, and Belarus voted against it. Zimbabwe’s position remains steadfast in support of concerted efforts towards a peaceful resolution to the current conflict in the spirit of multilateralism and solidarity as defined by Article 2 of the United Nations Charter,” Mudenda said.
He added that Zimbabwe firmly believes that dialogue is the only option for peaceful settlement of disputes as enshrined in Article 2 of the United Nations Charter and in International law.
“Zimbabwe affirms that it is the duty of the international community to ameliorate conflicts. To that end, the international community must tirelessly facilitate honest engagement to find a durable solution to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict. In that regard, Zimbabwe appeals to the international community to foster this approach in order to curtail the emerging destabilization of the global economy with its attendant palpable imported inflation spiral,” he added.