Press Releases
Meeting between Parliamentary Vice-Minister Tsuji and Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Comberbachof the Republic of Zimbabwe
On October 6, commencing at around 5:45 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. Kiyoto Tsuji, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Ambassador Stuart Harold Comberbach, Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, who was visiting Japan to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial Meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Tsuji sincerely welcomed Ambassador Minister Comberbach’s attendance at the TICAD Ministerial Meeting. He also extended his congratulations on the inauguration of H.E. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa as the President of Zimbabwe.
2. Ambassador Comberbach expressed appreciation for Japan’s assistance to Zimbabwe, provided explanations on the current status of economic reforms, and promised cooperation towards TICAD 7 next year. He also referred to the attendance of Mr. Kazunori Tanaka, the Special Envoy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony for President Mnangagwa and the subsequent courtesy call on President in August. Ambassador Comberbach also expressed his hope that Japanese companies would come to Zimbabwe for business opportunities.
3. Parliamentary Vice-Minister Tsuji also expressed his expectations for the high potential of Zimbabwe. He noted that a grant agreement had recently been signed for assistance of approximately 2.3 billion yen for the purpose of road improvement along the northern part of the North-South Corridor, which connects Zimbabwe and Zambia, and expressed Japan’s intention to provide security-related equipment to Zimbabwe.
4. In addition, the two exchanged their views on cooperation in the international arena such as the North Korea situation including the abductions issue, as well as the United Nations Security Council reform.