President Emmerson Mnangagwa will this week meet world leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister (Narendra Modi as part of his administration’s diplomatic charm and re-engagement processes.
The meeting with Johnson, if it materialises, will be the first time that a Zimbabwean President has been to the UK on government business following years of sour relations between Harare and London due to the land reform.
The visit follows a recent report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan which called for the lifting of sanction Zimbabwe by the Western Countries.
Mnangagwa told ZanuPF supporters at the recently ended party’s conference that he would meet Johnson and other leaders on the sidelines of the climate change meeting in Scotland.
“I travel to Glasgow in the United Kingdom after over two decades have passed without Zimbabwean leadership going to the UK. I have been invited by Boris Johnson and he has indicated he might meet me in Glasgow one-on-one as well as other leaders like Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi), and we will be meeting others on Monday or Tuesday,” Mnangagwa said.
Mnangagwa claimed Zanu PF and the government have been vindicated by Douhan’s report.
“We should congratulate ourselves that we have never been wrong and we shall continue always being right,” he said. And those who have been found outside the law should reckon and take their position,” he said.
However, the US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield said her government must not be criticised for the sanctions which she said are only for certain members within the Zimbabwean government.
She rubbished Douhan’s report claiming it was not factual.
“What is happening in Zimbabwe is a result of bad policies. What is happening in Zimbabwe is a consequence of their leadership, not our sanctions.
“We will always resist any criticism that says our US sanctions are impacting people unfairly. We’re criticized for it by the Zimbabwe GVT because they know that they are responsible. I regret that Alena Douhan made the decision to put this in her report,” she said.
