Former Foreign Affairs and International Trade Permanent Secretary, Joey Bimha, has been appointed to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mediation Reference Group (MRG) for a four-year term, New Ziana reports.
The SADC MRG is a group of individuals who specialise in alternative dispute resolution and conflict prevention diplomacy.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson, Livit Mugejo, said the appointment was made following the approval by the 42nd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held in the Democratic Republic of Congo last month. Said Mugejo:
The Mediation Reference Group works closely with the panel of elders as part of the SADC mediation and conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy structure that was established in August 2014.
The structure is aimed at strengthening SADC’s mediation capacities and timeously pre-empting violent conflict.
… [Bimha’s] appointment demonstrates Zimbabwe’s ability to produce distinguished regional leaders.
He will serve on the MRG along with eight other former ambassadors and high-level officials from the SADC region.
Bimha is a former Zimbabwean ambassador to France, Portugal, Spain and the Vatican.