Serbia and Zimbabwe maintain diplomatic relations established between SFR Yugoslavia and Zimbabwe in 1980, following Zimbabwe's independence. Yugoslavia (and now Serbia as one of its successor states) was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, of which Zimbabwe is also a part. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Serbia has a non-resident ambassador in Pretoria (South Africa).
 | |
 Serbia |
 Zimbabwe |
|---|---|
History
editYugoslavia era
editThe conference center built in 1985 for the 1986 Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Zimbabwe was built by Serbian company Energoprojekt holding, as was Mugabe's personal home. Robert Mugabe met Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito in Brijuni, Yugoslavia, and again in Havana, Cuba in 1979. When Tito died in 1980, Mugabe and a state delegation attended his funeral. Mugabe described Yugoslavia as the nation other non-aligned countries, especially African nations, went to for economic and technological needs.[1]
Contemporary period
editIn 2014, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe expressed his desire to rebuild and continue the friendship between Serbia and Zimbabwe, and described Serbia as the "only country in the world that [Zimbabwe] can consider a perfect friend," and that Serbia is Zimbabwe's only foreign ally.[citation needed] Mugabe also invited Serbian minister Ivan Mrkić to Zimbabwe to begin talks on joint projects in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, information technology and mining.[2] Zimbabwe closed its embassy in Belgrade in 2006.[3] Serbia closed its embassy in Harare in 2013.[citation needed]
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dačić attended the state funeral of the former President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, in 2019.
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe, Jacob Mudenda, and the President of the Senate, Mabel Chinomona, participated in the 141st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which was held in 2019 in Belgrade.
In 2021, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic visited Zimbabwe and met with his Zimbabwean counterpart Frederick Shava.[4]
Economic relations
editTrade between two countries amounted to $5 million in 2022, primarily consisting of Serbian merchandise export.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Editorial Staff. "Interview With President Mugabe by Serbian Broadcasting." African Globe Net. African Globe, 04 Feb. 2014. Web. 12 May 2016.
- ^ BIRN. "Mugabe Seeks Serbian Deals for Zimbabwe." Balkan Insight. Balkan Insight, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 12 May 2016. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/mugabe-grasping-at-serbian-straws.
- ^ "Selaković: African countries support key interests of Serbia". Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, Pretoria - South Africa. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ Rumbidzayi Zinyuke (2021-08-21). "Zimbabwe: Zim, Serbia Agree to Re-Establish Diplomatic Ties". AllAfrica. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
- ^ https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2023/Pdf/G20232056.pdf