SPEIF’24: Zimbabwe President Accuses Zambia’s Leader of Being a US Sellout in Front of Putin

Zimbabwe President Emerson Mnangagwa has accused neighbouring Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, of Western inclination during a private diplomatic meeting with Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin.

President Mnangagwa expressed the statement on Thursday in St Petersburg, Russia, stating that Zimbabwe is isolated from Western support, unlike Zambia and Malawi, which are heavily supported despite Zimbabwe’s economic growth.

The president disclosed this during a sideline meeting with Putin at the three-day forum organised by the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIE) to set “The Formation of New Areas of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World.”

During his diplomatic talks with Putin, President Mnangagwa stated that the Zimbabwean government is happy and anxious to secure new relations in agriculture, food security, mining and defence sectors with the Russian Federation.

We need external support more significantly in defence and security as well as food security. Those areas we need to be supported by the mechanisation of Agriculture,” he reiterated.

He further stated that the US and the Zimbabwean authority just ended their relations with the United States and had been on the lookout for new opportunities with foreign “advanced” nations as Russia to seek a new pact.

Mr President, I am happy to be here, and um, if the opportunity avails later on, we may find time to chat and go into more detail as to which areas we must focus on in terms of supporting each other and in terms of where we feel we need external support more,” he added.

Meanwhile, speaking at the SPIEF 2024, President Putin shared his vision, which is aimed at ensuring Russia’s economic stability and growth on the global stage despite the global challenges. These include expanding technological innovation, fostering international trade partnerships, enhancing energy sector resilience, and promoting regional integration.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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