Harare, (New Ziana) -Outgoing ambassadors to Zimbabwe from Indonesia and Kenya on Wednesday bid farewell to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the State House after successfully completing their tours of duty.

Outgoing Indonesian ambassador Dewa Juniarta Sastrawan said relations between his country and Zimbabwe dates back to 1986 and saw trade between the two nations improving significantly over the years. He expressed deep appreciation for the hospitality he received from Zimbabweans in general and President Mnangagwa in particular, during his stay in the country.

Sastrawan said when he came to Zimbabwe trade volume between the two countries was around US$16 million and has since ballooned to US$93 million as of last year. He said trade between the two countries was skewed in favour of Zimbabwe because it exports a lot of high quality tobacco to his country, which it blends with its own.

Meanwhile, outgoing Kenyan ambassador Stella Munyi said her country and Zimbabwe also enjoy good bilateral relations and have many things in common, such as their membership to the Common Markets for Eastern and southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Union (AU).

She said relations between her country and Zimbabwe are unshakable as evidenced by her President William Ruto’s visit to Zimbabwe last year, which resulted in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across various sectors of the economy. When he visited the country, President Ruto officially opened the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).

New Ziana