President Emmerson Mnangagwa State of the Nation Address, 23 November 2022

All stakeholders are urged to scale up programmes to end the new menace of drug and substance abuse, child marriages as well as all forms of violence.

New Work Culture

Government is mainstreaming and entrenching a New Work Culture across the public sector to bolster performance and the delivery of quality services across all levels of public entities, including authorities and State owned enterprises.

Mr. Speaker Sir, Madame President;

Re-engagement

Zimbabwe’s foreign policy of Engagement and Re-engagement, as well as our thrust to be a “friend to all and an enemy to none,” continues to bear fruit.  Our diplomatic missions have been re-focused towards economic diplomacy and diaspora engagement to attract investment and mutually beneficial partnerships.

Sanctions

The need for the unconditional removal of sanctions, which have constrained socio-economic growth for decades, remains urgent and imperative.  We are grateful to AU, SADC and other world leaders who made similar calls during the 77th United Nations General Assembly.  Our country welcomes the invitation to attend the US-Africa Summit in December, 2022 and emphasis remains on dialogue and multilateralism as the best option to resolve today’s global challenges.

Pride in Zimbabweans

We take pride in the election of Hon. Chief Charumbira as President of the Pan African Parliament, Dr. Cosmas Zavazava as Director of the Telecommunications Development Bureau of the International Telecommunications Union as well as Zimbabwe’s election into the International Civil Organisation Council.  Our country has also assumed Chairmanship of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme.  A sanctions free Zimbabwe stands ready to do more, within the comity of nations.

Peacekeeping

Meanwhile, our Security Forces are contributing officers for Regional and International Peace Support Operations under the United Nations, the African Union and within SADC.

The participation of women in Peacekeeping Missions has increased with the current Air Force of Zimbabwe deployment surpassing the 50% mark espoused in UN, AU and SADC Protocols on gender equity.

Veterans

The all-encompassing Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act is being implemented following the provision of funding for the operationalization of the Veterans Investment Corporation.

Mr. Speaker Sir, Madame President;

Legislative business

Allow me to now turn to the legislative business which must occupy the Parliamentary schedule during this final Session of the Ninth Parliament.  The Office of the Attorney-General has since been hived off from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.  This should see this office fully discharging its mandate more efficiently and effectively.

Continued next page

(289 VIEWS)