PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will today join Sadc regional leaders for a high-level meeting that will culminate in the signing of a declaration providing for the protection of indigenous forests from rapid exploitation.
The President arrived last night to attend the
High-Level Session of the Regional Conference on Sustainable and Integrated
Management of Miombo forests.
He was welcomed at Maputo International Airport by
Mozambican Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Minister VerĂ³nica Macamo and
Zimbabwean Ambassador to Mozambique Victor Matemadanda.
Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister
Mangaliso Ndlovu was already in Maputo as part of an advance delegation.
President Mnangagwa was accompanied by Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava, and Deputy Chief
Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential
Communications) Mr George Charamba.
In an interview, Forestry Commission general manager Mr
Abedinigo Marufu said the conference will culminate in the signing of a binding
declaration enjoining parties to the agreement, to protect the Miombo
woodlands.
Miombo woodlands are tropical and subtropical grasslands,
savannas, and shrublands biome located primarily in Central Africa.
“We are talking about management of our indigenous forests;
you know we have been talking about planting trees, primarily exotic trees,”
said Mr Marufu.
He said Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi came up with an
idea to look after the Miombo woodlands.
“These are woodlands where we have trees such as Munondo,
Musasa and Mupfuti, among many others.
“In Zimbabwe, if you go to the Mashonaland provinces you
will see vast areas of those woodlands, which provide livelihoods to
communities.”
Mr Marufu said Miombo woodlands were fast disappearing on
account of deforestation.
In Zimbabwe, a lot of tobacco farmers are using Musasa
trees to cure tobacco, he said, resulting in the loss of vast forests.
“So the (SADC) region — nine countries that are here which
have got those species — is discussing how we can manage those trees which are
very good for our bio-diversity.
“Our forests are also good for tourism so we want to
protect them. We want to grow them and make sure that we deal with climate
change.
“So this is a grouping of like-minded countries, including
Zimbabwe, who are saying let’s come together and sign a declaration which is
what we came here to do.”
Mr Marufu said President Mnangagwa will sign the
declaration on behalf of Zimbabwe.
He is also expected to meet his Mozambican counterpart,
President Nyusi.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of
bilateral issues, including power imports.
Earlier, President Mnangagwa was seen off at Robert Gabriel
Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Cabinet
ministers, Service Chiefs and senior Government officials. Herald
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