Zim, European Union sign re-engagement pact

via Zim, European Union sign re-engagement pact | The Herald October 8, 2015

Zimbabwe and the European Union have signed an agreement to normalise relations and indications are that the two sides will soon reach common ground, Spanish ambassador to Zimbabwe Alicia Moral has said.

Ambassador Moral said the process of engagement was going in the positive direction.

She said this to journalists after meeting Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa Office in Harare yesterday.

“There was an agreement signed three months ago to start cooperation with the European Union and the process of re-engagement is going in a positive way and we are very happy for that.

“As a member of the European Union, we are looking forward to improvement in Zimbabwe’s economy,” she said.

At bilateral level, Ambassador Moral said Madrid and Harare enjoyed good relations and efforts were being made to boost the ties economically.

She said their discussions also centred on bringing Spanish companies to Zimbabwe at economic level.

“We have had an embassy since 1980,” she said.

“We also talk about a possibility for post-collaboration between Zimbabwe and Spain for example in increasing trade — bringing Spanish companies to Zimbabwe.

“We talk of many things on improving our relations and we are looking forward to work in that direction,” she said.

Dutch Ambassador to Zimbabwe Gera Sneller also met VP Mnangagwa and pledged to work with Zimbabwe especially on improving trade between the two countries.

“We discussed the cooperation between our two countries,” she said. “We have strong relations and we now want to focus on the economic side. I feel that there are great opportunities that we should explore together.

“I am confident that our cooperation will yield positive results.”

Ambassador Sneller said Zimbabwe used to export flowers to Netherlands and it was important to resuscitate the trade relations. She said her country also produces Dutch cows that were well sought after the world over that could also be exported to Zimbabwe.

Relations between Zimbabwe and members of the EU soured at the turn of the millennium when Britain internationalised its bilateral tiff with Harare over the land reform programme.