ZIMBABWE and Nicaragua continue to enjoy bilateral relations, rooted in solidarity, particularly in the fight against unilateral coercive measures imposed on both countries by some Western countries.

This has culminated in Nicaragua opening an embassy in Harare yesterday at a ceremony attended by diplomats and senior Government officials.

Nicaragua, set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is a Central American nation known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes and beaches.

The national capital is Managua, which is home to about one-sixth of the population.

Addressing delegates, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sheila Chikomo, said the opening of the embassy also symbolised Nicaragua's increased foreign policy focus on Africa.

"The Government of Zimbabwe continues to hold Nicaragua and its principled leadership in very high esteem and will always cherish the strong bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries and the people," she said.

"The two countries enjoy long-standing relations and have a lot in common. I want to assure you that Zimbabwe will continue calling for the removal of unilateral coercive measures imposed on the two countries.

"Notwithstanding this shared trajectory, our bilateral economic, technical and cultural cooperation is still to reach the level we both would want it to be at. The opening of the Embassy could not have thus come at a better time."

Deputy Minister Chikomo said the new embassy opened up many possibilities for deepening and broadening trade and commercial exchange through the promotion of investment opportunities, the establishment of cooperation in scientific and technical fields, and the creation of people-to-people linkages through collaborations in the domains of culture and tourism.

"I would like, therefore, to take this opportunity to reiterate Zimbabwe's commitment, availability and readiness to deepen and expand our cooperation with Nicaragua for the mutual benefit of our two countries and people," she said.

Ambassador of Nicaragua to Zimbabwe, Nadeska Cuthbert, said the opening of the embassy was not merely the establishment of a physical presence, but a testament to the historical friendship and partnership between the two countries

"Our nation, though geographically distanced, shared a common history of struggle for independence, self-determination, resilience and a commitment to forging a brighter future for our people," she said.

"Nicaragua and Zimbabwe have made remarkable progress, driven by the principles of social justice, human development, economic empowerment, infrastructural transformation and environmental sustainability. We have continued to strengthen our cooperation with innovations, technology and alliances in potential important sectors such as agriculture, mining, education and health care," she said.