Source: Awards ceremony reinforces diplomatic bonds – herald
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
CUBA, Palestine and Algeria were among top winners at the prestigious Diplomatic Awards held in Harare on Wednesday night, with the three nations reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Zimbabwe across key sectors of development.
The glittering ceremony, attended by senior Government officials, diplomats and captains of industry, celebrated outstanding contributions by foreign missions in strengthening diplomatic, economic and cultural ties with Zimbabwe.
This was the 14th Edition of the Diplomat Awards ceremony held in Harare on Wednesday.
Cuba walked away with the best-performing award for embassies in the Caribbean.
Palestine was honoured for being the best in the Middle East and also their solidarity and International Relations, acknowledging its consistent stance of mutual support with Zimbabwe on global platforms, while Algeria scooped the award for best in Africa.
Speaking after receiving the accolades, representatives of the three countries pledged to scale up cooperation with Zimbabwe in line with the Second Republic’s engagement and re-engagement thrust.
Cuban Ambassador to Zimbabwe Susellys Pérez Mesa said the award symbolised the enduring bond between Havana and Harare, built on shared values of solidarity and resilience.
“We are committed to expanding our collaboration, particularly in healthcare, biotechnology and education, to support Zimbabwe’s development aspirations,” she said.
She said her motherland would continue to prioritise skills transfer and capacity building.
“Our co-operation is people-centred. We want to see more Zimbabwean professionals benefiting from specialised training programmes in Cuba, while also strengthening institutional linkages between our countries,” she said.
“Cuba remains ready to share its experience in primary healthcare systems, disaster preparedness and pharmaceutical development for the mutual benefit of our peoples.”
Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Tamer Almassri underscored the importance of unity among nations facing similar developmental challenges, adding that relations with Zimbabwe would continue to flourish.
“Zimbabwe has stood with Palestine over the years, and we equally stand ready to enhance co-operation in agriculture, education and cultural exchange,” he said.
He said there was scope to expand collaboration into new areas.
“We believe there is great potential to deepen engagement in youth development programmes and innovation, as well as strengthening people-to-people ties,” said Dr Almassri.
“Our relationship is rooted in shared history and principles, and we will continue to work closely with Zimbabwe on international platforms to promote peace, justice and sustainable development.”
Algeria’s representative said the North African nation was eager to unlock new trade and investment opportunities with Zimbabwe, particularly in energy, mining and infrastructure development.
“We see immense potential in strengthening economic ties and facilitating business linkages between our two countries,” he said.
He said Algeria was keen to move from commitments to tangible outcomes.
“Our focus now is on implementation, ensuring that agreements translate into real projects that benefit both economies,” he said.
“We are exploring partnerships in renewable energy, petroleum expertise and industrial development, which can contribute significantly to Zimbabwe’s modernisation drive.”
The Diplomatic Awards are an annual event aimed at recognising foreign missions that have made significant contributions towards Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development, while promoting international goodwill and cooperation.
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