Vasco da Mugabe jets off again

President Robert Mugabe has left Harare for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea to attend the 4th Africa Arab Summit.

He was seen off by the two Vice Presidents Phelekezela Mphoko and Emmerson Mnangagwa, Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo, Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan province Mirriam Chikukwa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgar Mbwembwe, service chiefs and senior government officials.

Mugabe is accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who is already in Malabo.

The 4th African Arab Summit is being held under the theme: 'Together for Sustainable Development and Economic Cooperation'.

The Malabo summit builds on resolutions made in the previous resolutions made in Kuwait during the 3rd summit.

It will focus on building foundations of respect, trust and common interest and focus on finding common ground on economic and sustainable development and cooperation issues.

During the last summit, it was agreed that there is need for true openness and cooperation in different spheres that include economic, infrastructure development, food security and agricultural development for the people of the two continents.

The platform adopted a new partnership strategy and a joint plan of action in which the two regions voiced out a collective desire to promote cooperation in the political, economic and socio-cultural domains between Africa and Arab countries.

The second Africa-Arab Summit was held in Sirte Libya in 2010 and it stressed the importance of building a partnership between the two regions as agreed during the 1st summit in Cairo, Egypt in 1977.

The Cairo Declaration comprised 13 articles pledging to develop bilateral and multilateral relations through long term comprehensive strategic cooperation.

The Africa Arab Summit focuses on sustainable development, economic cooperation and investment.