By Vimbai Masoso
The Africa-EU Campaign launched in Harare recently brings to light some of the successes of Zimbabwe-EU relations over the past 40years and promotes constructive relationships on common interest between Europe and Africa at large.
Guest of honour at the function, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minster Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa said the campaign was a major step in restoring and strengthening relations between Zimbabwe and the EU.
“Such a noble initiative is a clear testimony of the continuous and sustainable improvement of relations between Zimbabwe and the EU. Indeed, we are excited to see Zimbabwe and EU making strides in ensuring that positive relations are restored to normalcy through diplomacy, dialogue and initiatives of common interest to support our communities,” Mutsvangwa said.
In his remarks, the EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Jobst von Kirchmann said, “This campaign is part of EU-Africa campaign aiming at celebrating the positive impact of the unique partnership between Africa and the European Union. The long-standing partnership between the two continents and our continuous interaction has inspired much meaningful and impactful collaboration”.
Ambassador Kirchmann said through this campaign the European Union would like to reiterate its ambition and commitment for a constructive relationship with Zimbabwe based on areas of common interest.
The campaign running with the motto, ‘Zimbabwe and the European Union, together, tomorrow, today’ focusses on two shared priority areas of climate smart agriculture and gender equality and women’s empowerment. It is also running at the same time in Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo and Tanzania.
“This campaign is part of a much broader campaign organized by our head office. There was a reason for doing that. The reason for that is that we felt we should see Africa differently. We should see Africa not from European lenses but from a truly African lenses,” said Ambassdor kirchman.
Popular local musicians Amara Brown and Jah Prayzah are the campaign’s ambassadors.
Since 1981, the EU has been supporting Zimbabwe’s key sectors and development programs. The EU is currently the country’s second biggest official development assistance provider and the 4th overall trading partner.
Aligned with the Zimbabwe National Development Strategy (NDS-1), EU projects contribute to support sectors and topics of common interest, such as gender equality and women empowerment, greener and climate smart agriculture, health, food security and disaster preparedness, trade, Foreign Direct Investment, private sector, or electoral processes.
(Photo: Minister Mtsvanga and EU ambassadors)
