Zimbabwe Hosts US And Russian Envoys At The Same Time
Zimbabwe will host United States and Russian Federation envoys at the same time this week.
The visits come a year into the war in Ukraine that has raised tensions between the United States and Russia.
According to News24, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs Robert Scott is expected to land in Zimbabwe a few hours before the Russians land in Harare.
The Zimbabwean government said that Scott will be in the country to review the “reform priorities” of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, “especially in the last five years”.
On the other hand, Russia’s minister of foreign affairs and economic relations from the Sverdlovsk region of the federation, Yarin Vyacheslav was also expected in Zimbabwe later on Wednesday afternoon.
Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said Vyacheslav will be accompanied by Igor Zelenkin, the deputy minister of industry and trade in the Sverdlovsk region. The Ministry said:
During the visit, the delegation will also tour industrial sites specialising in timber processing, the production of rubber and pharmaceutical substances.
It added that the visit was necessitated by the two countries’ “existing excellent political relations”.
The United States is currently working on a law to sanction African countries that trade with Russia.
The proposed law, Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act, was crafted last year and is yet to reach U.S. President Joe Biden’s desk.
However, some African countries, including Zimbabwe and South Africa, have refused to cut their deep roots with Russia.
In fact, last month, Russia’s close ally, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was Zimbabwe on a State visit.
Lukashenko said last week that his country would take Russia’s side in the Ukrainian war if attacked.
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