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Zimbabwe and China sign three bilateral agreements
22 Feb 2013 at 17:28hrs | Views
Zimbabwe and the Republic of China have signed three bilateral agreements in the areas of information communication, agriculture and transport.
A Chinese delegation led by that country's Minister of Commerce Mr Chen Deming signed three memorandum of understanding with Zimbabwe.
The trade and economic delegation's first port of call was Acting President Joice Mujuru's office where they told her China wants it's already strong economic relations with Zimbabwe to develop further.
"The Chinese President will next month attend the BRICS summit in South Africa as clear indication that the Asian country values Africa," said Mr Deming.
The first memorandum of understanding was an exchange agreement of an interest free US$9.6 million loan from China to Zimbabwe and a donation of three containers of wheat and grain for the Grain Marketing Board.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Zimbabwe government, said the money will be used to upgrade roads and road equipment mainly for Rural District Councils (RDCs).
"In 2011, we set aside US$60 million on RDC roads and part of it was used for Kadoma roads and this amount is going to be used to upgrade most rural roads throughout the country," Mr Biti said.
The second agreement was of agriculture equipment for the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
The Minister Dr Joseph Made said the equipment will be used to assist small irrigation farmers.
"This is a new model of farming that we would like to introduce in this country and with such assistance we are sure it will take off," said Dr Made.
The third agreement was signed by the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity for the new US$6.5 million outside broadcasting equipment and a satellite uplink.
Speaking after signing the agreement, Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu said the development is a sign of the revolutionary solidarity that exists between Zimbabwe and China.
"Zimbabwe and China have always have had a strong relationship and such agreements will see the two countries sharing and transforming ZBC from analogue to digital," Shamu said.
The outside broadcasting van and the uplink were recently commissioned by the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe.
A Chinese delegation led by that country's Minister of Commerce Mr Chen Deming signed three memorandum of understanding with Zimbabwe.
The trade and economic delegation's first port of call was Acting President Joice Mujuru's office where they told her China wants it's already strong economic relations with Zimbabwe to develop further.
"The Chinese President will next month attend the BRICS summit in South Africa as clear indication that the Asian country values Africa," said Mr Deming.
The first memorandum of understanding was an exchange agreement of an interest free US$9.6 million loan from China to Zimbabwe and a donation of three containers of wheat and grain for the Grain Marketing Board.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Zimbabwe government, said the money will be used to upgrade roads and road equipment mainly for Rural District Councils (RDCs).
"In 2011, we set aside US$60 million on RDC roads and part of it was used for Kadoma roads and this amount is going to be used to upgrade most rural roads throughout the country," Mr Biti said.
The second agreement was of agriculture equipment for the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
The Minister Dr Joseph Made said the equipment will be used to assist small irrigation farmers.
"This is a new model of farming that we would like to introduce in this country and with such assistance we are sure it will take off," said Dr Made.
The third agreement was signed by the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity for the new US$6.5 million outside broadcasting equipment and a satellite uplink.
Speaking after signing the agreement, Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu said the development is a sign of the revolutionary solidarity that exists between Zimbabwe and China.
"Zimbabwe and China have always have had a strong relationship and such agreements will see the two countries sharing and transforming ZBC from analogue to digital," Shamu said.
The outside broadcasting van and the uplink were recently commissioned by the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe.
Source - zbc
