Algerian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mohamed Seoudi, yesterday paid a courtesy call on First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at her offices in Harare, where they explored areas of co-operation in education, tourism, and community development through her Angel of Hope Foundation.
Ambassador Seoudi, who expressed admiration for Dr Mnangagwa's work through her foundation, revealed that Algeria had increased its annual scholarship intake for Zimbabwean students from 115 to 150, with plans to further expand the number in the coming years.
The scholarships, which focus primarily on technical, scientific, and vocational disciplines, aim to empower young people with skills essential for national development.
"Algeria offers more than 100 scholarships in various fields, particularly technical ones, and we increase the number each year by 20 to 25. This year, we are talking about 150, and the students are expected to travel to Algeria in the coming days. Currently, there are about 300 to 400 students already there," said Ambassador Seoudi.
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The Ambassador said during President Dr Mnangagwa's visit to Algeria in July this year, students were met at the School of Artificial Intelligence.
"There are many students in medicine, aeronautics, hydrocarbons, and mechanical engineering. We hope some of our Zimbabwean students will also go to Algeria for professional and vocational training, which is very important," he said.
Ambassador Seoudi commended Dr Mnangagwa for her continued pursuit of academic excellence, saying her achievement of a doctorate later in life serves as an inspiring example to younger generations that learning has no age limit.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, Dr Mnangagwa welcomed the gesture of partnership, saying scholarships would open opportunities in fields such as medicine, veterinary science, agriculture, aeronautics, mining, and journalism.
"Aeronautics is an area where I have pilot students about to become pilots, and I will select some from here. In mining, I will focus on women, and for journalism, we already have some students from the Angel of Hope Foundation," she said.
The First Lady, an accomplished scholar herself, said the Angel of Hope Foundation continues to collaborate with Government ministries to support youth pursuing education and professional training.
Reflecting on her visit to Algeria last September for the Intra-African Trade Fair, Dr Mnangagwa praised the warmth of the people and the richness of Algerian cuisine.
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"When I visited your country, I felt at home. Your people are so friendly. I felt relaxed. The warmth of your people and the bond between our nations remind us of our shared history and values," she said.
Ambassador Seoudi said the First Lady left an indelible mark on the youth she interacted with during a gastronomy competition held at the fair.
Given Dr Mnangagwa's role as Zimbabwe's Tourism and Hospitality Patron, the two leaders also discussed cooperation in the tourism sector following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between their respective countries' tourism ministries in July.
Ambassador Seoudi said they are committed to implementing the agreement through the establishment of a Joint Technical Tourism Committee.
Beyond education and tourism, discussions also focused on community upliftment projects, including the construction of a high school and the drilling of a solar-powered borehole in Zimunya area, Manicaland Province.
The First Lady commended the Algerian government's support for such initiatives, emphasising that access to clean water and education remains central to improving livelihoods.
"This is a lifelong project. You cannot survive without water. Water is life for people, animals, and the environment. We are grateful for this partnership that brings real change to our communities," she said.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong ties between Zimbabwe and Algeria, which continue to grow from strength to strength.
