Manzini, Eswatini – Zimbabwean President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa who faces sanctions with government officials from the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) said the Kingdom of Eswatini maintained solidarity with Zimbabwe during the imposition of what he called illegal economic sanctions in the year 2000.
Speaking as an honoured guest of King Mswati III, the ruler of the Kingdom of Eswatini on September 6 while officiating the opening of the Eswatini International Trade Fair, Mnangagwa said the Eswatini and Zimbabwe share deep history that predates struggles for freedom.
“We vividly recall an unwavering support during seasons when we faced political and economic backlash, isolation, and the imposition of illegal economic sanctions after we took back our land from those that had stolen it from us.
“Your consistency and solidarity will forever remain etched in the history of our country Zimbabwe. The collaboration between our two countries is testament of our mutual determination to expand trade, investment, and linkages that cut across all sectors,” he said.
On this day, Eswatini also marked the 57th of the national Independence Day following its gaining of independence from the former British empire in 1968.
Mnangagwa also said in the broader context, Zimbabwe was pleased to be participating and sharing with Eswatini.
Dr Mnangagwa’s Eswatini state visit follows His Majesty King Mswati III’s tour of the 63rd Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in 2023 where he also officiated a similar gathering as an honoured guest.
The Zimbabwean president who was treated to a state banquet also said that the diplomatic ties between the two countries run deep, noting that Eswatini’s trade fair theme of digital transformation was timely and a call to action to creating business networks and of God.
“It challenges us to embrace innovation, connectivity, science and technology as a foundation for prosperity and to prepare our countries for the world of the future.
“This is critically important, most so that the ongoing technological revolution continues to significantly alter the way we live, the way we work, and the way we relate to one another,” he said.
Dr Mnangagwa honoured the invitation to address the opening of the Eswatini International Trade Fair, stating that the countries march forward towards modernisation and industrialisation of their economies. He also confirmed his extended visit in the tiny kingdom for the Monday annual Umhlanga Reed Dance.
Dr Mnangagwa called for the leveraging of both countries, natural resources, science and technology, and innovation to deliver higher quality of life for the people.
“The engineer of our young people, resilience of our women, and a parental spirit of our communities should be honest to create self-sufficiency and sovereignty in all aspects of our lives.
“Us, the people of this region and respective jurisdictions bear the responsibility to develop our economies and to answer the challenges of our times such as climate change, health pandemics, and fluid global international relations environment. Additionally, opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and the science technological and innovation space, as well as green technologies all present numerous prospects for the realization of development that leaves no one and no place behind,” he said.
Dr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe is willing to participate and share ideas with Eswatini on mutual interests of trade, investments and technological revolutions of both nations.
“The fusion of technologies is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological fuels extending to industries, transforming entire systems of production management. The public sector on other hand must leverage the same to enhance the delivery of quality infrastructure enabling us as well as affordable social services. As business and policy makers, we are challenged to take advantage of technological developments to raise our national GDPs. Digital transformation must be inclusive and never leave any community behind,” he said.
Dr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe adopted a heritage-based education model which set up an enabling ecosystem that promotes innovation, science and technology driven in development.
He also said they established innovation hubs and industrial parks which are creating a new breed of entrepreneurs and seeing the establishment of new industries.
“Digital innovation outputs are positively impacting climate change mitigation in our agriculture sector along with other benefits in health, transport, mining and energy sectors, and also within the SME spaces. We are determined not to leave any community behind as we embrace the digital driven world,” Dr Mnangagwa said.
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