Home Trade and Bilateral Relations Zim to reduce diplomatic missions

Zim to reduce diplomatic missions

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By Staff Reporter

The Zimbabwean government has resolved to reduce its number of Foreign Missions, in a bid to optimise the utility value realised from the remaining missions as well as avoiding accumulation of arrears and embarrassing evictions of its diplomats.

This was said by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, presenting the 2019 Budget Statement, in Harare, yesterday.

“Zimbabwe has diplomatic presence at 46 Embassies and Consulates, staffed by around 581 home based and locally recruited staff. The above diplomatic presence is currently imposing annual budgetary support levels of around US$65 million, which is above available 2018 Budget capacity of US$50 million,” explained Prof Ncube.

He said Zimbabwe had also embarked on re-orientation of its Diplomatic Missions towards economic and trade diplomacy and the Budget proposes rationalisation of some of the Missions in pursuit of this objective.

Prof Ncube however said this would not affect government’s efforts to engage the international community but strengthens the cause.

“Government is stepping up outreach and engagement with the international community, with the objective of normalising and strengthening relations and taking the rightful place in the community of nations.

“Government has consistently proclaimed its resolve to re-engage and integrate into the global village, hence, the interest to re-engage. This is out of the realisation that through international isolation, we have lost immensely as a Nation, particularly through deprivation of access to international capital markets, technology, trade, among others, resulting in low economic growth,” he said.

 

 

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