As Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrived in Uruguay to participate in the WHO Global Conference on Non-Communicable Diseases, Zimbabwe's First Lady Grace Mugabe traveled to Russia to attend the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students, where the president will be honored as the “champion of land redistribution.”
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African youth and students organized an event titled, "President Robert Mugabe: The champion of land redistribution and total restoration of natural resources from imperialists to the African masse," where the African leader will be honored.
After having been imprisoned for over a decade by colonial forces, Mugabe helped lead the Chimurenga war from Mozambique to oust former president Ian Smith and his white-minority government.
Mugabe came under fire for seizing land to distribute more equitably to the entire population of the country. By 2013, most white-owned farms in Zimbabwe had been either expropriated or confirmed for redistribution. The United States put the Zimbabwean government on a credit freeze in 2001, which led to a major trade deficit.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is holding its annual health conference in Uruguay, where member states, U.N. agencies and non-state actors will discuss prevention methods, treatment, mental health and well-being practices in order to reach the SDG 3.4 target of reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third. The target date to reach the reduction is 2030, according to All Africa.
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Accompanying Zimbabwe's head of state to Uruguay was Health and Child Care Minister Dr. David Parirenyatwa, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Walter Mzembi, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba and other government officials.
Uruguay's President Tabare Vazquez is scheduled to meet with Mugabe during his visit to the South American country.
In 2015, NCDs such as cancer and diabetes were responsible for the deaths of 40 million people worldwide.