Mnangagwa arrives in Russia

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is on a mission to deepen bilateral and economic cooperation with Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, has arrived in Moscow for the first leg of the Eastern Europe tour where he is expected to market Zimbabwe's business opportunities to the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and meet his counterpart Mr Vladimir Putin to further explore new opportunities for cooperation.

The President and his delegation touched down to snowy weather at Vnukovo Airport in the Russian capital and was received by the Russian Federation's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the Africa and the Middle East Region Mr Boganov Mikhail Leonidovich and a military guard of honour.

The national anthems of the two countries were sounded in his honour before he was immediately whisked away to a city hotel.

President Mnangagwa and his delegation which includes Ministers Perrance Shiri, Mthuli Ncube and Winston Chitando, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya and Deputy Chief Secretary in the President's Office responsible for communication George Charamba, will be in Russia for the next three days.

He is expected to visit El Rosa Diamond Company, the world's largest diamond production company which accounts for almost a third of global rough diamonds.