Zimbabweans safe in Turkey

Zimbabweans living in Turkey are very safe and living harmoniously with no official complains of abuse lodged with the embassy so far, contrary to false claims being peddled by some private media who are trying to tarnish the bilateral relations that exists.

Zimbabwe's Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey Alfred Mutiwazuka rebutted the misinformation and disinformation published by NewsDay newspaper article ysterday titled "Dozens trafficked Zimbabweans Stuck in Turkey."

Ambassador Mutiwazuka said the newspaper article which comes on the heels of the recent celebratory statement by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr Oppah Muchinguri marking 40 years on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, can only be described as a malicious attempt to downplay the accelerated strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries.

"For the record the Embassy of the Republic in Ankara Turkey was established in October 2019, eight years after the Embassy of Turkey has opened in Harare. Since its opening the embassy has never received any report of a Zimbabwean resident in Turkey or in transit who has been ill treated by the authorities in Turkey or lives like a modern slave in Turkey.

"To the contrary, Zimbabweans working in Turkey are grateful for the warm and friendly relationships that they have cultivated with the local people and authorities. The embassy has also witnessed marriages and unions between Zimbabweans and Turkish people which is a clear indication of acceptance to both sides," he said.

Ambassador Mutiwazuka said the current Zimbabwe population in Turkey is approximately 250 and continues to rise.

"Undoubtedly, Zimbabwe and Turkey enjoy excellent bilateral relations which has witnessed exchange of high level visits (both Government and Private sector players) between Turkey and Zimbabwe resulting in concomitant increase in the volumes of trade increasing from US$19 million in 2019 to US$24 million in the third quarter of 2021.

"There is glaring energy and enthusiasm by both Government and business people in both countries to widen and deepen mutually beneficial economic cooperation" he said.

Ambassador Mutiwazuka said there is no doubt that the virulent and hyperbolic falsification of the correct facts on the brotherly relations with Turkey is intentionally deceptive and inaccurate and could have been better served by the author verifying with this Embassy before publication.

"The article's intended desire to detract our diplomatic efforts to engage and re-engage as directed by His Excellence President Mnangagwa fall out of relevancy as we continue to put the nation's interests and that of our diaspora community first," he said.