PRESIDENT Mnangagwa last night left Harare for the 78th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he will join other global leaders at the New York conference set to start today.
The 78th General Assembly Ordinary Session comes soon after the beginning of President Mnangagwa’s second term following his resounding victory in the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
The UN Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres, recently congratulated President Mnangagwa for winning the Presidential election and undertook to work closely with the Zimbabwean Government to “accelerate development and ensure inclusive and sustainable growth”.
In his congratulatory message, Mr Guterres said he appreciated the Government’s efforts to enhance the participation of women in national governance.
“I wish to congratulate you on your re-election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. I look forward to the continued co-operation between Zimbabwe and the United Nations in the ongoing implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework 2022-26 in order to accelerate development and ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth, gender equality, human rights and climate action in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Mr Guterres took the opportunity to also acknowledge the efforts of Zimbabwe to advance the political participation of women and encouraged President Mnangagwa to promote gender parity in his Government.
The President, who is expected to address the General Assembly on Thursday (September 21), has made engagement and re-engagement with the international community one of the pillars of his transformation agenda that seeks to make Zimbabwe a middle-income society by 2030.
While in New York, the Head of State and Government is also expected to hold bilateral talks with fellow leaders as well as engage business interest groups as part of the drive to woo investors to the country.
This year’s General Assembly debate theme is: “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.
This dovetails with President Mnangagwa’s calls at home to foster peace, economic equity and development that leaves no one and no place behind.
The President was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Cabinet ministers, service chiefs and other senior Government officials.
Herald
