Opinions & Interviews

Mnangagwa praises close relations with Belarus, thanks Lukashenko for support

MINSK, 17 January (BelTA) – Belarus and Zimbabwe maintain very close and good relations, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said at the negotiations with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 17 January, BelTA has learned.

“Since my last visit to the Republic of Belarus nearly four years ago we have maintained close ties. And I am very happy that we have such open and direct contacts,” Emmerson Mnangagwa stressed. “Our countries maintain very close and good relations. My administration and the people of Zimbabwe view the Republic of Belarus as a brotherly country.”

He remarked that Zimbabwe is facing difficult times. For more than two decades the country has been struggling with various economic sanctions, the country has virtually been isolated.

“As a result of the sanctions our national currency collapsed. We had to stop using the national currency in February 2009 and introduced the so-called package of currencies including the pound sterling, euro, U.S. dollar and other currencies. U.S. dollars initially accounted for about 40%, the currency of one of African republics accounted for the same amount. The remaining 20% was distributed between other currencies. However, the situation has changed in due course, and the U.S. dollar has become the dominating currency. Today it accounts for about 90% of all transactions,” Emmerson Mnangagwa said about the peculiarities of the economic situation in Zimbabwe.

The president of Zimbabwe thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the warm welcome and for the support of his country in this difficult times.

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