Zimbabwe Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda (far right) greets Indian President, Her Excellency, Smt Droupadi Murmu in India recently.
By George Swarei
A Zimbabwe Parliamentary Delegation currently undertaking a Bilateral Visit to India on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the President of the Republic of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu in a session where various bilateral issues were discussed.
The Parliamentary visit is the first high level exchange visit between the two countries’ Parliaments in the past twenty years.
Led by the Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Advocate Jacob Mudenda, the Zimbabwe delegation was presented with an opportunity to discuss on how Zimbabwe and India can take their diplomatic relationship to the next level through parliamentary diplomacy.
Her Excellency, the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmur applauded the cordial ties between the two countries with India having extended support and cooperation to Zimbabwe, including extension of credit lines for investment projects and aid in the form of 75 000 doses of the COVID -19 vaccine, among others.
President Smt Droupadi Murmur, the 15th President of India, encouraged the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Parliament of India to foster a positive working relationship through sharing experiences and learning Parliamentary best practices.
In his response, Advocate Mudenda, who is accompanied by parliamentarians, Hon Webster Shamu, Priscilla Moyo and Reuben Chikudo, assured the Indian President that the Zimbabwean Parliament is committed to increasing cooperation between the two countries as well as putting in place a sound legal framework for the ease of doing business to facilitate trade and investment opportunities between Zimbabwe and India.
He expressed Zimbabwe’s gratitude for the aid and support extended to Zimbabwe in the various sectors, in particular, health and education.
Advocate Mudenda also took the opportunity to express his gratitude for the excellent hospitality extended to the Zimbabwean delegation and extended fraternal warm regards from her counterpart, His Excellency, Dr E.D. Mnangagwa.
The Zimbabwean delegation also met with the Zimbabwe India Trade Council Business (ZITC) Delegation led by its President, Dr. Asif Iqbal.
The business meeting, organised by Zimbabwe Ambassador to India, His Excellency Dr Godfrey Chipare, brought together businessmen from cross cutting sectors including health and pharmaceuticals, construction, hospitality, nutritional foods and winery.
Hon. Mudenda addressed the business community from a legislative perspective in view of Parliament’s role in ensuring a conducive legal environment for business.
He presented an overview of the investment climate and legislation in Zimbabwe, particularly the enactment of legislation creating the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), the one stop shop investment services centre for ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.
Advocate Mudenda implored the Indian business community to explore the various investment opportunities in Zimbabwe, informing the business community of the reform of the taxation and visa regimes to spur Foreign Direct Investment.
He indicated that through Parliamentary oversight, Parliament would work closely with the Executive to ensure the execution of signed business Memoranda between India and Zimbabwe.
ZITC Chairman, Dr. Iqbal expressed the ZITC’s keen interest in investing in Zimbabwe which saw ZITC in the past year, dispatching 3 delegations to Zimbabwe to explore opportunities with the intention of establishing a pharmaceutical company that would produce affordable products for both domestic and foreign markets.
The investment also targeted the establishment of an India/SADC Millet Research Centre that would be based in Zimbabwe.
In honour of of Mahatma Gandhi, the founding father of the Indian nation, the Speaker of Parliament laid a wreath at the Rajghat Memorial Garden which houses his mausoleum.
The Zimbabwean delegation, comprising the Speaker of Parliament and three members of the Parliamentary Portfolio on Foreign Affairs and International Trade is in India for a one week tour which started from the 5th December 2022.
