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To demonstrate close bilateral cooperation between the two nations, a Namibian Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security delegation is on a state visit to Zimbabwe to deepen engagements on the legislative front.
In a speech read on his behalf today by his deputy in the ministry, Dr. David musabayana, Hon Fredrick Shava, Zimbvabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said the two Republics have a protracted liberation war experience signifying their common history resulting in their statehood and also share common developmental aspirations.
He said the brotherhood requires close cooperation, as typified by the Namibians’ visit to Zimbabwe which is jointly cherished in an effort to increase engagements on the legislative front.
Through Namibia’s astute leadership, as well as support from other SADC countries, Hon. Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira was elected as the new leader of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) during the Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament held in Midrand, South Africa held in June 2022.
The Republic of Namibia has sent many other delegations including to Zimbabwe’s various line Ministries as part of the technical cooperation which demonstrates that these engagements transcend various spheres of governance.
“While the delegation has come to learn from Zimbabwe, we will also get insights into Namibia’s experience in implementing its foreign policy goals in an ever-changing international relations system. This is a healthy practice for friends to learn from each other, especially in areas where the other has made strides. Recently, in 2022, I dispatched my Ministry’s Benchmark team to your country to learn how you have successfully established your Communication Directorate,” Ambassador Shava said.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is primarily the image of the nation abroad, earmarked to represent all its interests and nationals in recipient states.
In 2017, the International Trade aspect was added to the then Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which existed until independence. Originally, the Ministry’s focus was largely political, with the International Trade aspect having been embedded in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which the Ministry continues to closely work with on trade and investment promotion issues.
The Ministry, through its Economic (Trade) Departments, has been responsible for advancing transnational diplomacy and, Diaspora Engagement, as part of efforts towards leveraging the dividend of our nationals beyond the yesteryear primary focus on remittances.
Zimbabwe has a total of 53 Diplomatic Missions Abroad, comprising of 48 Embassies and 5 Consulates. Plans are now at an advanced stage for the establishment of a Mission in Minsk, Belarus. This follows heightened exchanges between Zimbabwe and Belarus, as symbolised by the visit to Zimbabwe by His Excellency, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, between 30 January-1 February 2023 and, His Excellency, President E.D Mnangagwa’s visit to Minsk in January 2019.
Over the past few years, Zimbabwe opened Missions in Rwanda, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, in line with our emerging interests with those countries, who have also opened Missions in Harare.
At Head Office, the Ministry bears the following Directorates; Regional Contribution and Continental Integration; Africa Asia, and the Pacific; Europe and America; Bilateral and International Trade and the Diaspora; Multilateral Affairs; Legal and Consular Services; Public Diplomacy, Communications, and Advocacy; Protocol and Conferencing Services; Strategic Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation; and support departments which comprise Finance and Administration, Human Resources, and Procurement.
Minister Shava’s Office has two Special Advisors, with one being responsible for the Zimbabwe Foreign Service Institute.
In terms of manning levels, the Ministry has five Chief Directors for Human Resources, Administration, and Finance; Multilateral Affairs; Political Affairs; Economic Cooperation, International Trade, and Diaspora; and Protocol and Conferencing. All Directorates work in complementarity, in pursuit of furthering Zimbabwe’s foreign policy thrust as a nation.
Ambassador Shava said Zimbabwe principally derives its current foreign policy drive from the direction from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde Dr. E. D Mnangagwa, like in any other country.
During his acceptance speech marking the genesis of the Second Republic on 24 November 2017, His Excellency President Dr. E.D Mnangagwa laid the pillars of Zimbabwe’s foreign policy.
“He said that Zimbabwe would be a friend to all and an enemy of none; that Zimbabwe would pursue a policy of Re affirmation, Engagement, and Re-engagement; and that Zimbabwe is Open for Business. This impetus pragmatically responded to the changes in the geopolitical scene redefining our foreign policy exploits that had been cultivated in our 42 years of independence,” Ambassador Shava said.
Section 12 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013 on Foreign Policy, states that Zimbabwe’s Foreign Policy is based on the promotion of national interests; respect for International instruments; peaceful co-existence with other nations; and the settlement of International Disputes by peaceful means.
Furthermore, Statutory Instrument 28 of 2014 on Assignment of Functions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs assigned the Minister, power to administer the Privileges and Immunities Act [Chapter 3:03].
These acts were made before the Minister’s mandate incorporated International Trade and the Public Agreements Advisory Committee. In order for the emerging notion of commercial diplomacy to play a ubiquitous role in national development, the functions assigned to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade should be expanded.
Like any other state party, Zimbabwe subscribes to Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and Consular Relations (1963), which provide a framework governing diplomatic and consular relations between independent countries.
Zimbabwe’s interactions with the AU are guided by the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the Conventions, Treaties, and Protocols that the country has ratified.
Zimbabwe conforms to the International Treaties Act [CHAPTER 3:05] which gives the Minister of Foreign Affairs the power to administer this Act. The Ministry is the “principal custodian and principal national depositary of all international treaties.” In addition, in terms of Section 5 (1) (b) of the Act, the Ministry is the Secretariat of the Public Agreements Advisory Committee.
The exercise of Zimbabwe’s foreign policy conforms to Presidential/ Executive Directives and Ministerial Guidelines issued from time to time. His Excellency, President Dr. E.D Mnangagwa outlined that the national goal is to Attain a “Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle-Income Society by the Year 2030.
Towards this vision, Zimbabwe’s national efforts are being guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) 2021 – 2025 and eventually, the NDS 2, which will run from 2025-2030.
Chapter 10 of NDS1 provides that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s key priority areas are image building, engagement and re-engagement, and the promotion of trade and investment so that the country receives more export receipts and foreign direct investment.
In 2018, the Zimbabwe Government established the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) now commonly known as the 100 Day Programme. The projects which were aligned with the blueprint, the NDS 1 (2021-2025), were tailor-made to foster socio-economic transformation, growth, and development while uplifting the livelihoods of citizens.
These priority projects for the Whole of the Government, continue to be implemented in line with Second Republic’s Thrust of “Leaving no One and No Place Behind.” The facelift of foreign missions resonates with the National Development Strategy (NDS1), which prioritises Image Building.
In line with its responsibility of Image Building, Engagement, and Re-Engagement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry managed to refurbish some of its Missions and Chanceries which include South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, the UK, Germany, and Malawi during the year 2022.
These critical four support areas are governed in terms of sector-wide policies, which govern the Whole Government and, not just the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
While the Ministry of Finance and Economic Developing is generally responsible for providing budget support for the government, the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry is distinct in that it has to fund programmes at Head Office and those at various diplomatic Missions. The distribution of Finances is governed by the Public Finance Management Act, [Chapter 22:19], which regulates the management of public funds.
The Ministry is responsible for the Administration of all Diplomatic Missions. Although our Diplomatic Missions are ordinarily manned by officials from the Ministry at different levels, they are also composed of personnel from other line Ministries and agencies.
In terms of ambassadorial appointments, the Ministry recommends persons who assume these posts at various missions. For the greater part, these are mostly career diplomats. His Excellency, the President also appoints Ambassadors while Sister Ministries from the security cluster also have their own quota.
ZimTrade is the National Trade Development and Promotion Organization of the Republic of Zimbabwe. It was established in 1991 as a unique joint-venture partnership between the Private Sector and the Government of Zimbabwe.
The vision of the agency is to develop and catalyze sustainable competitive value-enriched exports. The mission of the organization is to increase contribution towards realizing an export-oriented economy for Zimbabwe’s economic growth and prosperity.
The Trade Development Surcharge Act (Chapter 14:22) outlines the funding mechanisms for ZimTrade, which is a National Trade Promotional Organization. The body derives its establishment from the constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.
Its overall function, providing market information on Zimbabwe, export development, and promotion for Zimbabwe, as a competitive business destination for manufactured goods and horticultural products that are being exported to recipient countries.
While ZimTrade has made a tremendous stride in fulfilling its mandate, it has also faced a number of challenges which include capacity constraints in implementing and participating in numerous bilateral, regional, and international negotiations; slow progress in the conclusion of negotiations in regional and international initiatives such as the WTO (Doha Development Agenda), Tripartite, CFTA as well as bilateral low participation of the private sector and stakeholders in policy formulation and international negotiations.
The Parliament of Zimbabwe established the Zimbabwe Foreign Service Institute (ZFSI), through Statutory Instrument 151 of 2000 and, the subsequent Proclamation 2 of 2020, which granted a Charter for the Establishment of the Institute, headed by a Director General.
The mandate of the institute is to provide world-class training facilities for Zimbabwe’s Foreign Service Officers and other such officers from government departments, especially in the fields of Diplomacy, International Relations, Trade, Tourism, and other fields as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Governors. The first was appointed in June 2022.
It also conducts research and analytical studies in Diplomacy and International Affairs, so as to advise the Government on Foreign policy issues.
The Parliament of Zimbabwe also has a role to play in the sustenance of the Institute through money appropriated through Parliament. The Institute was granted its inaugural budget by Parliament in the 2023 Financial Year.
Just a week ago, the Institute also advertised for qualified personnel to fill-in arising posts in the technical areas of Diplomacy and International Relations, Research and Policy as well as Finance, Administration, and Human Resources, as part of efforts towards the full establishment of the Institute.
Despite the commendable efforts, Zimbabwe has not been spared various challenges for which it is currently refocusing its energies towards addressing them expeditiously.
The challenges include the absence of an electronic database for all International Treaties and Agreements, in contravention of international norms, and the widespread labour disputes involving Locally Recruited Staff at Embassies and International Organizations accredited to Zimbabwe, with some cases being eventually adjudicated at the courts. The absence of a workplace Code of Conduct for dispute resolution between Locally Recruited Staff, Embassies, and International Organisations has compounded the challenges.
In view of some of the challenges, the Legal and Consular Services Directorate is considering establishing an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce for the purposes of drafting an SI setting out modalities for resolving labour disputes for Locally Recruited Staff at Embassies and International Organizations accredited to Zimbabwe.
The envisaged Statutory Instrument should set up structures that are composed of employer and employee representatives, aimed at presiding and deciding over labour disputes and unfair labour practices at workplaces.