Zimbabwe: President Leaves for Langkawi Dialogue

Farai Dzirutwe

18 June 2011

PRESIDENT Mugabe left Harare for Malaysia yesterday to attend the 9th Langkawi International Dialogue which opens tomorrow morning.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President John Nkomo, Cabinet Ministers, senior Government officials and service chiefs.

He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Government officials.

Vice President Nkomo will be Acting President.

President Mugabe will join other leaders at the 2011 edition of LID.

Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr Najib Razak, is expected to open the event whose theme is “Enhancing Smart Partnership for Socio-Economic Transformation”.

This year’s dialogue will focus on efforts to transform and advance the Smart Partnership dialogue and enhancing socio-economic development of the participating countries.

“LID is part of the Smart Partnership Dialogue series, which promotes the principles and practice of the ‘Smart Partnership’ approach to creative co-operation between Government and other sectors contributing to socio-economic activities.

“Smart Partnership is an innovative concept that is based on a positive ethos of ‘prosper thy neighbour’ for ‘win-win’ situations,” reads a statement released by the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week.

Since the inaugural event, LID has become an important platform for a free-flow of ideas and exchange of information among the participating countries.

President Mugabe has, along with other African and Caribbean leaders, participated in previous LID sessions where they have focused on various issues such as poverty eradication and human capital development through education and skills training.

LID highlights the importance of South to South Co-operation as the only way for Africa and the developing world to overcome poverty and development challenges.

The Smart Partnership concept has been acknowledged as a tried and tested strategy for the so-called Third World countries to be competitive in the unipolar and increasingly globalising world.

“Malaysia believes that new and innovative ideas on transformation and socio-economic policies will emerge from LID 2011.

“This year’s Dialogue has been designed with the objective of expanding the existing social and economic network between Malaysia and the participating countries in Africa and the Caribbean. The dialogue forum sessions, which is the newly introduced format for LID 2011, will discuss on three topics namely ‘Realising National Visions Through Socio-Economic Transformation’, ‘Innovative Financing for Transformation’ and ‘Poverty Eradication’, said the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Malaysian leaders, other Heads of State and Government and eminent personalities will be panelists for discussion sessions.

According to the Malaysian government, this year’s LID will see the convening of the Malaysia-Africa Business Forum which has been the missing link from the previous dialogues.

The theme of the forum, “Exploring New Dimensions” reflects the importance of developing economic and business relations between Malaysia and Africa with the current geopolitical developments.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to deliver the keynote address at this forum while other from Malaysia and Africa will make presentations on prospects and potential of doing business with Africa.

LID is the brainchild of Dr Mohamad who hosted the first event in 1995. The last dialogue session was held in 2007 under the theme “Poverty Eradication through Human Capital Development and Capacity Building”.

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