Pakistan-Africa Friendship Day

1 November in Pakistan is dedicated as a day to commemorate Pakistan-Africa Friendship. To mark this day, Mr. Fariz Hasan, the Pakistani Charge d-Affaires in Zimbabwe hosted a reception at the Meikles Hotel in Harare to celebrate the evolution as well as growth of Pakistan-Africa Relations. The function was to earmark the cordial political and economic relations espoused in the friendship between Pakistan and Africa that continue to grow from strength to strength.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Fariz Hasan chronicled the evolution, history and growth of friendly ties between Africa, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. He echoed the “Engage Africa Policy” of the Government of Pakistan as a roadmap on further strengthening the political and commercial ties in their diversified form with Africa. He emphasized the need to explore the full spectrum of complementary economic sectors with more focus on business to business and people to people exchange. Mr. Hasan also expressed his gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe for their continued support and prompt response in addressing the untapped commerce and trade potential caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her response, Guest of Honour, Ambassador Alice Mageza, Chief Director (Political Affairs), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe lamented the continued decline of trade volumes between the two countries. She highlighted that the last bilateral commission was done in 1994 and that this shows that the two had more to do to consolidate economic ties between Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Ambassador Mageza however noted with great satisfaction that the Embassy was taking an initiative to fight against increasing ignorance about Africa and promoting exchange of information between the two countries. She expressed her wish that the Embassy will take advantage of the Second Republic’s foreign policy thrust to concretize and grow economic cooperation between the government and people of Pakistan.

The function was attended by Mr. V. A. Chikanda, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, International Organizations, International Non-Governmental Organizations and the Business Community in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy