India, Zimbabwe sign six agreements
Six agreements, including on mining, Information and communications technology (ICT), visa waiver and traditional medicine were signed between India and Zimbabwe on Saturday, as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu met Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Kembo Mohadi and held wide-ranging talks in Harare.
The vice president arrived in Harare Friday night, on the second leg of his six-day three-nation tour to Africa. Through his tour, Naidu aims to strengthen India’s strategic cooperation with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
According to TS Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, five memorandum of understandings (MoUs), including on mining, visa waiver, traditional medicine, broadcasting, and one action plan on ICT were signed during delegation-level talks held between Naidu and his Zimbabwean counterpart.
"MoUs were signed between the two countries on cooperation in the field of arts, culture and heritage; traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy," he said.
India also accepted Zimbabwe's request to supply 10 ambulances to the African nation. "India will also give life-saving drugs to Zimbabwe," Tirumurti said.
An MoU on "cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting" was signed between the Prasar Bharati and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
The two sides also signed an MoU in "geology, mining and mineral resources".
"An agreement was signed between India and Zimbabwe on the reciprocal exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports," Tirumurti said.
"The two countries also signed an action plan for cooperation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)," he added.
The leaders of the two countries also discussed on a wide range of areas, including defence, security, mining, capacity building, health and agriculture, the Vice President's office tweeted.
Naidu also met Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa earlier on Saturday and discussed bilateral cooperation on all fronts.
Naidu's visit will take India-Zimbabwe relations to the next level, Mnangagwa said.
The President thanked India for being "supportive during Zimbabwe's period of isolation" and lauded the Asian nation for "refusing to join other countries in imposing sanctions" against it, Tirumurti said.
Naidu also met Zimbabwe's Acting Foreign Minister SB Moyo.
Naidu is the first high-ranking Indian Government official to visit Zimbabwe in 21 years. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had visited the African country in 1996.
