Mnangagwa to visit Malawi

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is expected to embark on a three-day State Visit to Malawi on Wednesday to discuss matters of mutual interest between the two African countries.

In a statement, Malawi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit will end on June 2.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform members of the public that at the invitation of His Excellency Dr Lazarus Chakwera President of the Republic of Malawi, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa President of the Republic of Zimbabwe will undertake a three-day State Visit to Malawi from May 31 to June 2, 2023," read the statement.

"During the State Visit President Mnangagwa will carry out several official engagements including holding bilateral discussions with President Dr Chakwera on matters of mutual interest to the two sisterly nations. Full details will be released in due course."

President Mnangagwa's engagement and re-engagement drive has opened new frontiers for Zimbabwe.

In one of the major successes of the Second Republic's foreign policy, President Mnangagwa was formally invited to witness the coronation of King Charles III at a ceremony that took place in London earlier this month.

The wise leadership of President Mnangagwa has ensured that the country turns on a new leaf through the engagement and re-engagement initiative where he emphasises that Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy to none.

Last week, the President was in Egypt where he also held high-level bilateral talks with his Egyptian counterpart, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, on the sidelines of the 58th African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings.

The President was part of thousands of delegates attending the 58th annual meetings of the AfDB that coincide with the African Development Fund's 49th meeting of the board of governors.

Zimbabwe's total consolidated debt stands at $17,5 billion. Debt owed to international creditors stands at $14,04 billion, while domestic debt stands at $3,4 billion.

Debt owed to bilateral creditors is estimated at $5,75 billion, while debt to multilateral creditors is estimated at $2,5 billion.

Commenting on the meeting between the President and his Egyptian counterpart, presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said the two Presidents also looked at the area of construction of new cities.

"When we were planning the construction of the new city in Mt Hampden, the President sent the Minister of Local Government, July Moyo, to Egypt to understand how they undertook the new cities they are building – looking at the architecture, building of roads and other supporting infrastructure.

"The Minister presented a report that was accepted and implemented by the Government. We are building the new city using a blueprint from the Egyptians. So the construction of smart cities is a critical area that came under the spotlight," he said.