THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has congratulated Zimbabwe’s newly sworn-in President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, expressing its commitment to work with his government.
According to a statement issued by SADC
secretariat, yesterday, which was signed by SADC Executive Secretary, Dr
Stergomena Tax, the regional body welcomed the reassuring message
President Mnangagwa delivered to Zimbabweans on his arrival in Zimbabwe
on Wednesday.
On the material day, Dr Tax said, Mr
Mnangagwa promised to lead the nation into a “new and unfolding
democracy,” underscoring the need for unity among all Zimbabweans in
growing the economy and ensuring peace and prosperity in their country.
“Zimbabweans have placed their trust in
President Mnangagwa and SADC looks forward to continuing our strong
working relationship with the Government of Zimbabwe under the
leadership of President Mnangagwa,” the SADC statement read.
It added: We are looking forward to his
leadership in upholding the tenets of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, in
which they have committed themselves to building “a united, just and
prosperous nation, founded on values of transparency, equality, freedom,
fairness, honesty and the dignity of hard work.”
The regional body stated that President
Mnangagwa’s inauguration is significant for the people of Zimbabwe,
adding that it looks forward to Zimbabwe, under his leadership, to
continue driving forward technological and socio-economic transformation
of SADC economies, through industrialisation, which remains a key
priority in the region.
“Zimbabwe has been very instrumental in
steering SADC’s regional cooperation, development and integration agenda
and in 2015, during the tenure of former Zimbabwe president Robert
Mugabe, as Chair of SADC, the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and
Roadmap (2015-2063) was developed and adopted,” the statement added.
Dr Tax said SADC assured President
Mnangagwa that as he embarks on new responsibilities and faces the
challenges that lie ahead, the SADC secretariat wishes to assure him of
the unflinching commitment to work with and serve him, the government
and the people of Zimbabwe.
“We welcome President Mnangagwa and we
look forward to his contributions in promoting regional co-operation and
SADC development and integration agenda,” SADC asserted in its
commitment.
After being sworn-in, President
Mnangagwa addressed the public, vowing to work to improve the economy to
reduce unemployment and return the country to prosperity. Mnangagwa,
who was inaugurated at the National Sports Stadium in Harare after
Mugabe’s 37-year rule, said he had great respect for Mugabe as a
“father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader.”
“Let me at this stage pay special
tribute to one of, and the only, surviving founding father of our
nation, cadre Robert Gabriel Mugabe. He led us in our struggle for
national independence and assumed responsibilities of leadership at a
formative and very challenging time in the birth of our nation,” Mr
Mnangagwa said.
“Whatever errors of commission or
omission that might have occurred during that critical phase in the life
of our nation, let us all accept and acknowledge his immense
contribution towards the building of our nation,” he said.
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