Lessons for Zimbabwe from the Russia-Ukraine conflict

All this portends great changes in ways nations engage, reach out for safe and gainful partnerships, transact internationally, and relate or submit to global regulatory frameworks and institutions as we have had from post-1945.

Fortuitously, Africa had a premonition of this meltdown in world affairs, and had already embarked on a robust framework for continental free trade, underpinned by Agenda 2063.

This was a stroke of far-sightedness, indeed a new trajectory which must find justification and impetus in the ensuing global turbulence.

Russia and Ukraine, the two nations in conflict, are big players in the global economy, principally in the key sectors of technologies, agriculture and energy.

The ongoing conflict between them has reverberated globally, including disrupting world markets and supply chains, all against post-pandemic fragilities already afflicting the world.

Zimbabwe, itself already a victim of western unilateralism, is in the full glare of all these global headwinds.

Against NATO’s provocative eastward expansion in Europe, and Russian Federation’s robust response to that threat of encirclement by NATO, a new situation has arisen which require that we re-map the world with a view to finding our own place and securing our interests in it.

A new world order is emerging, and Zimbabwe must respond appropriately and creatively, so it is not sidelined or placed on the receiving end of these fast-paced global changes.

Our activities in the past two months, and going forward, should be understood from that broad, regional, continental and global perspective.

The months of March and April have seen us embark on critical international engagements with countries in three regions on our African continent, and with another one in the Middle East.

We paid two State Visits to sister Republics of Kenya and Mozambique, with Zimbabwe and Rwanda holding a joint permanent commission here in Harare.

Our relations with Kenya are set to be consolidated later this month when President Uhuru Kenyatta replies through a State Visit, and by opening our premier Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

All this is consistent with the ideals and goals for moulding an African Continental Free Trade Area in which intra-Africa trade receives top priority, and shapes our collective destiny as Africans.

About mid-March, we led the Zimbabwe delegation to the United Arab Emirates marking the high point of our participation at the Dubai 2020 World Exposition.

UAE now tops as Zimbabwe’s trading partner, with its position as a net importer of virtually all its food needs offering huge opportunities for our economy which is anchored on agriculture.

Zimbabwe stands beholden to President Kagame for helping us successfully expand our bilateral relations with this key Middle East country which is also a gateway to world markets.

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