Source: Cabinet: First meeting decisions matrix | The Herald January 30, 2019
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube (right) briefs the media on his Davos trip following a Cabinet meeting at Munhumutapa Building in Harare yesterday. With him are (from left) Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa; Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri; and Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda) Fourth, 29th January, 2019
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- Report Back on His Excellency President’s State Visit to Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
CABINET DECISION
Cabinet received a Report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the recent visit by His Excellency the President to the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Cabinet noted with satisfaction that His Excellency’s very fruitful visit had opened numerous avenues for deeper cooperation between Zimbabwe and the four Eurasian countries in the areas of Mining, Agriculture, Tourism, Energy, Education, Health and Technological Innovation, Transport Logistic and the Zimbabwe National Geospatial Programme. More particularly, Cabinet took note of the following Agreements which were signed during the visit:
Memoranda of Understanding with Russia
Memoranda of Understanding between the African Export – Import Bank and Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Ltd concerning the Darwendale Platinum Group Metals Project in Zimbabwe;
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Limited;
Memorandum of Understanding between URALCHEM JSC (a Russian company) and the Government of Zimbabwe in fertilizer production,
Memorandum of Understanding between the African Finance Corporation and Great Dyke Investments (Pvt) Ltd concerning the Darwendale Platinum Mining Project;
Agreement of Cooperation on the Sphere of Counteracting the Legalisation (laundering of proceeds of crime, and financing terrorism between Rosfin Monitoring (Russia) and the Financial Intelligence Unit of Zimbabwe (RBZ);
Memorandum of Understanding between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce
Extradition Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Government of the Russian Federation and;
Agreement between the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and the Zimbabwe Chamber of Commerce.
Cooperation with Belarus
Belarus offered to help develop Zimbabwe as a regional transport hub using its own expenses. Belarus also offered to provide Zimbabwe with an initial 500 buses, with the possibility of increasing the number in future. The following MOUs were signed:
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus on Political Consultations;
Treaty between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Republic of Belarus on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters;
Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus for Cooperation in the Field of Tertiary, Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the State Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation:
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the Belarusian State University in the Science and Education sphere; ·
Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the Belarusian National Technical University;
Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the Educational Institution “Republication Institute for Vocational Education” (Republic of Belarus) on Cooperation in Science and Technology Development and Innovation in Polytechnics and Vocational Education Institutions in the Republic of Zimbabwe; and
Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Zimbabwe and the Administrative Directorate of the Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.
Agreed special areas of cooperation with Azerbaijan
Tourism (construction of hotels);
Tobacco and cotton processing; and
Energy (Azerbaijan has a petroleum company which is exporting to South Africa and has storage facilities in Mozambique)
- Availability of Fuel
Cabinet noted that the availability of fuel on the local market had significantly improved in most parts of the country following the recent price adjustment. Full normalisation of the fuel supply situation is expected to be achieved throughout the country, in a short time to come.
- Emergency Measures to Bring Relief to Businesses and Communities Affected by the Recent Violent Demonstrations
Cabinet expressed grave concern over the wanton destruction of property and business during the recent violent demonstrations that took place from the 14th to the 16th January, 2019. Furthermore, Cabinet noted that as a result of this regrettable occurrence, a number of households in several high-density suburbs were currently facing difficulties in accessing basic goods and services.
In addition, a number of small to medium enterprises were either destroyed or had their stocks looted, leaving them with no capital to finance their operations. Accordingly, Government has set up an ad hoc Cabinet Committee chaired by the Minister of Industry and Commerce to assess the level of damage to business infrastructure, the looting of stocks, quantum of losses and to come up with strategies to alleviate the plight of the affected households as well as to assist in the recovery of the affected businesses as a matter of urgency.
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