‘Implement Zim/Russia MoUs to fight sanctions’

Sunday Mail Reporter

Zimbabwe and Russia must expeditiously ratify and implement trade and development agreements signed between Harare and Moscow to counteract sanctions imposed on the two countries by the West.

This was said by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda during his meeting with chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Ms Valentina Matvienko, in Russia on Thursday last week.

Adv Mudenda said the two countries have signed 18 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in various areas of development spanning mining, education and health, which are yet to be implemented.
According to a media briefing released following the meeting, Adv Mudenda urged legislators from the two countries to facilitate implementation of the agreements.

“The host Speaker appealed to the Zimbabwean delegation that efforts should be made to ensure that the two legislatures promoted accelerated economic development between their respective countries, especially in the areas of mining, education, health services and energy development,” reads the brief.

“The two legislatures were expected to enact laws that promoted the ease of doing business and expeditious financial business transactions in the context of fighting the illegal economic sanctions imposed by the United States of America and its allies.

“The Honourable Speaker Mudenda agreed totally with the suggestions of Honourable Matvienko on issues that she raised.”

Adv Mudenda, added the briefing, said the agreements were not tied to implementation timelines, a development that is holding back their operationalisation.

“So far, there are 18 signed Memoranda of Understanding/Agreements whose outcomes are yet to be realised. It was, therefore, incumbent on the two legislatures to exercise robust oversight in ensuring that the signed Memoranda of Understanding/Agreements were implemented expeditiously.”

Turning to bilateral relations between the legislatures, Ms Matvienko said Harare and Moscow must continue support one another at international fora, particularly where sovereignty and territorial integrity is threatened.

“On that score, the Hon Matvienko lauded the signing of the agreement between the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the National Assembly of the Parliament of Zimbabwe as a concrete testimony of cementing Parliamentary diplomacy between the two assemblies.”

Ms Matvienko, according to the report, said she was looking forward to the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Russian Federal Council and the Zimbabwean Senate in the near future.

“In the same vein, Hon Matvienko informed the delegation that a Friendship Association had been formed between the two Senates as another way of strengthening the bilateral relations between the two legislatures.

“She hoped that a similar Friendship Association would soon be established between the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and the State Duma.”

She also highlighted that Russia had donated 11 tonnes of wheat to Zimbabwe as a way of strengthening bilateral relations between the countries.

The two parties also spoke about various issues, including 145th Inter-Parliamentary Union which is set to be held in Rwanda this month, as well as the second Africa-Russia summit set for next year.