Venezuela tightens ties with Zimbabwe

Venezuela and Zimbabwe have signed a cooperation deal to strengthen ties in energy, agriculture, economic and social affairs and culture, a government statement said on Wednesday.

“These agreements reinforce and strengthen relations between the two countries, south-south cooperation and the opportunity to grow and advance together,” said Reinaldo Bolivar, Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister for Africa.

“Zimbabwe is a country with excellent natural resources and very rich in minerals,” Bolivar added.

Venezuela has in recent years upped its involvement in Africa, and has ties with all 54 countries on the continent.

“Venezuela provides great assistance to our country through donations made through the World Food Programme,” said Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Bevuma, who signed the deal.

Once hailed as a model economy, Zimbabwe’s fortunes have nosedived since 2000 when veteran ruler Robert Mugabe seized white-owned farms and handed them over to landless black Zimbabweans, often with no farming skills.

Zimbabwe’s economy has virtually collapsed over the past decade with inflation out of control and chronic shortages of foreign currency and food.—AFP