daniel chigunwe
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe and Ghana share cordial relations which are set to be bolstered through the inaugural Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation set for this year, Defence Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.
Speaking on the occasion of Ghanaian President John Mahama’s inauguration where she was representing President Mnangagwa yesterday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Ghana remained an important country, not only to Zimbabwe, but the African continent at large.
Ghana was the first African country to attain independence in 1957.
President Mahama becomes Ghana’s 14th President and is being sworn in for the third time. “Under the astute leadership of His Excellency the President Dr ED Mnangagwa Zimbabwe seeks to deepen and elevate our relations with Ghana, as guided by Engagement and Re-engagement policy.
“We have witnessed High Level exchanges, the most recent being the President, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s attendance at the 30th Annual Meetings of the African Export-Import Bank in June 2023. It was on the sidelines of this meeting that Zimbabwe and Ghana signed the first General Cooperation Agreement.
“To solidify our relations preparations are at advanced level for the Inaugural Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation meetings, to be convened at mutually agreed venue and dates in 2025,” she said.
Zimbabwe and Ghana have already exchanged draft MoUs in defence, mining, health, agriculture, tourism, education, sport, industry, energy, women affairs, SMEs and trade. Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also alluded that President Mnangagwa had been invited to participate at the forthcoming Africa Prosperity Dialogues to be held in Accra at the end of the month, signalling the continued upscaling of relations.
“Additionally, the development of Zimbabwe’s Dry Port in Walvis Bay, Namibia provides a strategic gateway to link Zimbabwe and Ghana and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region at large.
“More so the Headquarters for African Continental Free Trade Area being located in Accra, Ghana is an important partner to Zimbabwe as we grow our economy under Vision 2030 by His Excellency the President Dr ED Mnangagwa.
“Ghana and Zimbabwe have revitalised their yesteryear cooperation in the educational sector, as reflected by the resuscitation of exchange programmes between the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the University of Ghana (UG) and, the scholarships being provided to Zimbabwean students pursuing studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related disciplines by Ashesi University of Ghana in recent years.
“In 2017, SeedCo opened a regional office in Ghana after establishing a joint venture with Limagrain of Ghana, as part of its effort to introduce yellow and white maize seed varieties for the Ghanian and broadly, the West African market in general,” she said.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri went on to chronicle Harare and Accra’s rich history.
“It was through the support of Ghana’s first President Cde Kwame Nkrumah that liberation movements in the region were inspired to pursue and fight for their independence.
“Ghana facilitated training programmes for our people and one such beneficiary is the late President Robert Mugabe who attended the Ghana’s Ideological School in Winneba.
“It is the country that trained our first crop of guerrilla fighters who include the late William Ndangana and Cde Khumalo who is still surviving.
“Ghana opened its mission in Zimbabwe in 1981 and we opened our Mission in Accra in 2001,” she said.
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