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Mnangagwa cuts short Europe trip over social unrest in Zim
In a tweet on Sunday afternoon, Mnangagwa announced that while he had a productive week of trade and investment meetings, he will be heading back to the cash-strapped country in light of the economic situation there.
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cut short his trip in Europe amid concern over the social unrest in his country.
In a tweet on Sunday afternoon, Mnangagwa announced that while he had a productive week of trade and investment meetings, he will be heading back to the cash-strapped country in light of the economic situation there.
In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings. We will be ably represented in Davos by Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again.
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) January 20, 2019
After being drawing widespread criticism for leaving the country amid social and political upheaval, the president now says his immediate priority is “to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again.”
With international concern rising over the violence in the country, the former EU ambassador has now weighed in, saying his heart is bleeding over the crisis gripping Zimbabwe.
Philippe van damme left the country late last year, but like other former envoys, says he's worried about its current state of affairs.
In his tweet Van Damme acknowledges that he's doing something unusual.
He says that as a former ambassador to a country there's a rule that says you shouldn't comment on events there.
But, the former EU envoy says what's happening in Zimbabwe is too sad and his heart is bleeding.
Former US ambassadors have also voiced their concerns on Facebook or Twitter, including Charles Ray and Bruce Wharton.
Western embassies in Zimbabwe, including the US, the UK, the EU and Sweden have tweeted out statements of concern and called for restraint.
WATCH: ‘Our families are being held hostage,' say Zimbabweans in SA
(Edited by Shimoney Regter)
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