Palestine Re-invigorating it’s connection with Africa
The Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy conducted a one week Diplomatic Training Webinar for Palestinian Diplomats working in the Embassies of the State of Palestine in Africa. The Webinar, authorised by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in collaboration with the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Harare, was to familiarise and orient Palestinian Diplomats working in Africa and Foreign Service Staff engaged in African Affairs Departments at the Head Office in Palestine. The workshop dilliberated on the subtleties associated with solidarity and cooperation with African countries in giving a new impetus in the intensification of the Struggle for Palestinian independence in the wake of escalating Israeli aggression and apartheid against Palestinians as well as Israel’s continued land grab and settlement building on palestinian land. Mr V. A Chikanda, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy facilitated the Diplomatic Training.
The Workshop was to reveal a new thrust in the evolution of African countries, foreign policies in the climate of globalisation and the onslaught of the coronavirus which seem to be dominating world news and publicity and foreshadowing the plight of the Palestinian People for true sovereignty. The Diplomatic Training was to unveil evolving African Foreign Policies and create clarity and mutual understanding in order to harness Africa’s continued continental support for the Palestinian Struggle.
His Excellency Riyad al-Maliki, the Foreign Minister of Palestine, was the guest of honor at the graduation ceremony at the end of the Workshop. The webinar was the brainchild of the ZID in collaboration with the Palestinian Embassy in Harare. It was conducted as the ZID’s gift to the Palestinian Struggle. The Webinar falls within the Framework of the Palestinian Africa Solidarity Council established by the Palestinian Ambassador H. E Tamer Almassri in Zimbabwe. Among some of the findings of the Webinar were that Palestinian Diplomacy has to be innovative to encompass all African countries through deep and guided understanding of new realities in African Foreign Policies; that Palestinian Diplomacy must now harness and embrace new tools of statecraft including social media, facebook, twitter, websites and use of NGOs, national governments, International Governmental organizations, the corporate world and philanthropic institutions including churches to consolidate the struggle and to shame Israeli intransigence and aggression; identified and drew parallels and similarities between African Struggles and the Palestinian Struggle for nationhood.
The Diplomatic Training attracted critical resource persons from 4 great universities in Zimbabwe including the Africa University; University of Zimbabwe; the Midlands State University and the Great Zimbabwe University. The Resource Experts and Academics addressed participants in the following thematic Areas: African Regional Perspective and Palestinian Struggle; Liberation Heroes and the Palestinian Struggle; Israeli-Africa Relations and the  Destructive Role of Israeli and Influence in Africa. The four experts included Mr Richard Runyararo Mahomva, Dr Pinduka and Mr Alexandra Rusero from the Africa University, Dr Joseph Tinarwo from Great Zimbabwe University and Dr Chimanikire from the Midlands State University.
In his closing remarks at the virtual graduation Ceremony on 13 December 2021 His Excellency Riyad al-Maliki, the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority commended the organizers of the Training as well as the dedication of academics and resource persons who made the workshop a success. He hoped such tailormade workshops be widened to include Palestinian Diplomats working globally for total victory of Palestine. He concluded that Palestinian Diplomacy was now more focusing on reinvigorating its connections Africa and sharing new strategies with African Countries for a free and independent Palestine.