Govt Seeks Stronger Ties With Zimbabwe

By Leroy Dzenga

Zimbabwe'S re-engagement agenda is gaining steam, with plans afoot to revive the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation with Ghana.

This was revealed at the West African country's 62nd independence celebrations in Harare yesterday, where Ghana's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Eric Odoi-Anim, expressed intent to improve relations between the two countries.

In an interview, Ambassador Odoi-Anim said frameworks for cooperation will be activated soon.

"The Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation was already in existence, but there was a slump," he said.

"The initial steps to revive it were already taken. We were supposed to have the first meetings earlier than this, but there were disturbances, but we are on course to resume them."

Ambassador Odoi-Anim said the dialogue between Zimbabwean and Ghanaian officials is expected in the third week of April.

Speaking at the same event, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Director of the Africa, Asia and the Pacific Department Ambassador Alice Mageza said the JPCC with Ghana will be an opportunity for the two countries to explore further areas of cooperation.

"The Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation and other bilateral agreements provide the legal framework for closer cooperation between our two countries," she said.

"It is our hope that the second session of our JPCC will have the legal instruments aimed at cementing the historical bonds of our friendship. We should also consider new areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of our countries and people, such as tourism, agriculture, mining, ICT, to mention a few."

Zimbabwe and Ghana share a long history of collaboration from as far back as Kwame Nkrumah's inaugural Organisation of African Union (now Africa Union) speech when he implored leaders present then to help fight the apartheid system blacks in the then Southern Rhodesia were enduring.

The elaborate effort by Zimbabwe and Ghana to strengthen ties falls well within the re-engagement agenda which has been gaining traction on the continent, with South Africa and Botswana already on board.

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