Three Ambassador designates who meet will represent Zimbabwe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Zambia met with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at Statehouse this morning ahead of their departure.

The trio of Ambassadors Johannes Tomana, Nancy Saungweme and Charity Charamba were mandated to work on trade issues and attracting foreign direct investment to boost the economy as the country moves towards a middle-income economy.

“We have a specific mandate beyond diplomacy which is to create markets for our industry and be able to attract foreign direct investment….and we pray we will give it our best,” said Tomana who has been deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ambassador designate Charity Charamba highlighted that in Zambia he will work on issues of agriculture and the National shrines of the gallant sons and daughters of the soil who are resting in that part of Africa.

“We are going to be looking at means of enhancing trade relations, looking at agriculture we are quite aware that Zambia had a surplus in maize and as their neighbours we require some.

“We have shrines of our fallen heroes that are in Zambia and that is one area we will be looking at as the President have also pointed out that those shrines are ours and should be looked after.”

As for Malawi, Ambasador designate Nancy Saungweme buttresed on the issue of strengthening relations and improvements on trade.

These deployments have come at a time when countries in the SADC bloc are working on strengthening regional integration based on trade, central co-operation and co-ordination to address infrastructure and capacity constrains.