Zimbabwe and Rwanda have further strengthened their cooperation following the signing of additional Memorandum of Understanding in the fields of higher and tertiary education, housing and women empowerment. The MoUs were signed during the second session of the Zimbabwe Rwanda Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) held in Harare on Monday and Tuesday. The two countries signed the MoU on Cooperation in the field of provision of sustainable affordable, functional, low to medium cost housing and new building technologies. The second MoU was on Cooperation in the field of higher and tertiary education, science and technology development. The third one was in the field of women empowerment. A communique released at the end of the two-day engagement said the delegations from Zimbabwe and Rwanda held in-depth and candid discussions, taking stock of progress in the implementation of joint commitments and exploring new frontiers of bilateral cooperation. The two countries expressed satisfaction with the achievements made since the inaugural session of JPCC and underlined the importance of maintaining regular meetings under the framework of the JPCC. Zimbabwe expressed its deepest sympathies and solidarity with the Government and people of Rwanda following the recent devastating floods and landslides that occurred in the country’s Northern, Western and Southern Provinces which claimed the lives of 135 people. Several thousands were left homeless. Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation led his country’s delegation. The communique said the JPCC commended Zimbabwe for successfully hosting the second edition of the Zimbabwe Rwanda Trade and Investment Conference held from 28th March to April 1st 2022 and requested Rwanda to host the 3rd edition at the earliest convenience, to expand bilateral trade and investment flows between the two countries. The Commission expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the MoU on Exchange of Educational Personnel and Expertise under which the first batch of 158 Zimbabwean teachers and lecturers were seconded to Rwanda in October last year. According to the communique, the JPCC renewed the call for the unconditional lifting of the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by some Western countries. The JPCC also exchanged views on the continental security situation, in particular the armed conflicts in Sudan, and the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the northern parts of Mozambique. “The two sides reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to support all regional, continental and global efforts aimed at achieving an amicable resolution of the conflicts and restoration of normalcy in these countries,” read the communique. Rwanda was applauded for its role in the fight against the terrorist insurgency in Mozambique. Zimbabwe and Rwanda reaffirmed the need to reform the United Nations, particularly the Security Council to make it more relevant to the modern day global realities.
