MINSK, (BelTA) – The First Lady of Zimbabwe Auxillia Mnangagwa shared the details of her meeting with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko as she spoke to the media in Minsk on 11 April. She told reporters that there were no closed themes for discussion during her meeting with the Belarusian head of state, BelTA has learned.
“We had a wonderful meeting with Mr. President. There were no closed topics between us. I felt absolutely at home. We discussed absolutely everything. I can see now that our cooperation will move forward. He [the Belarusian president] has one important thing that we have, too. He is able and willing to work hard,” Auxillia Mnangagwa said.
While in Belarus, she visited various healthcare institutions to learn about the Belarusian experience and technologies which can be later adopted in Zimbabwe. Auxillia Mnangagwa emphasized the attention the Belarusian head of state pays to the development of this area in Belarus: “I saw the care he takes for his country and his people. We saw how they take care of the children in hospitals. That is why I told him: “Mr. President, let me tell you that you are not only a father – you are also a mother to your country.”
Auxillia Mnangagwa emphasized that Aleksandr Lukashenko’s visit to Zimbabwe was truly historic. “People in our country still remember it. We were very happy to host the president of Belarus in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Cooperation in various areas were discussed at the meeting with the head of state. These areas included medicine, agriculture, and the mining industry, each of which affects the quality of people’s lives.
“Yes, I came here as the First Lady of my country. But I also came here as a mother who knows a lot about family values and how women in my country take care of their families,” Auxillia Mnangagwa said.
The parties discussed exchange programs and opportunities for Zimbabwean specialists to study at Belarusian universities in the professions that are in demand in Zimbabwe. The country needs not only equipment and technologies, but also qualified specialists.
The First Lady of Zimbabwe called for active contacts between business representatives of the two countries, mutual visits to explore the possibilities for cooperation and look for new partners. “Our country will benefit immensely from this, because Belarus is a giant for us,” she said.
