Zim, Kenya in talks to strengthen ties
THE inaugural mid-term review meeting of the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation between Zimbabwe and Kenya began in Harare yesterday amid calls for the strengthening of relations between the two countries.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador James Manzou said Zimbabwe and Kenya had strong people to people relations that have provided a platform for strong bi-lateral ties to thrive on.
“In March 2022, the countries laid a solid foundation for the intensification of our strategic partnership by resuscitating the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation that had been lying dormant for a regrettable 25-year hiatus.
“During the 3rd Session of our JPCC, we made a commitment to hold annual inter-sessional meetings, through which we will hold ourselves to account and make sure that our focus stays strictly on target.
“With this in mind, I am happy that we are starting this review process
already with one credit, for abiding by that important decision,” he said.
An assessment of the period under review reflected a mixed picture of some isolated sectors that have made positive steps towards implementing the agreed
decisions, while in the broader context, progress has generally not been as fast and extensive as expected.
“In the economic sector, though the volumes of bilateral trade remain worryingly low, I am encouraged that we
are now witnessing an evolving working relationship between our national trade facilitating agencies, Zim-Trade and the Kenya Export Promotion & Branding Agency.”
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