U.S. Ambassador to visit Mutare

Mutare, January 14, 2013: United States Ambassador Bruce Wharton will tour Mutare starting Tuesday where he is expected to visit U.S. funded projects as well as meet local government officials and representatives of civil society organizations. This is Ambassador Wharton's first official visit to Mutare.

The Ambassador will have a chance to meet the Mutare public when he speaks at a Food for Thought session organized by the American Corner at the Turner Memorial Library at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, January 16th. Food for Thought sessions are a regular feature in American engagement with various sectors of Zimbabwean society, giving featured speakers an opportunity to discuss topical issues in an interactive way. In Mutare, the event is held at the Turner Memorial Library every other Wednesday with similar sessions being held every Tuesday at the Embassy's Eastgate offices in Harare, and at varying times at the Gweru and Bulawayo American Corner facilities.  During the Food for Thought session in Mutare, Ambassador Wharton will discuss his vision for U.S.-Zimbabwe relations and respond to questions on the subject. The discussion is free to interested members of the public.

On Thursday January 17th at 9 am, the U.S. ambassador will visit the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) unit and training site at Sakubva District Hospital. The U.S., through the USAID funded Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), supported the establishment of a KMC unit which started admitting patients in April 2012. KMC is an evidence-based intervention for managing low birth weight/premature babies who are at much higher risk of death or illness than heavier babies/babies born at term. The program has also seen health workers at the hospital receive training in KMC procedures as well as other life-saving maternal,
newborn and child health-related topics. Since April 2012, the Sakubva District Hospital KMC unit has cared for 199 babies.  This event is by invitation only.

Other scheduled events in the diamond city include meetings with business, local government officials and civil society representatives, as well as a visit to Africa University.

Ambassador Wharton, who is in Zimbabwe for the second time as a diplomat, presented his credentials to President Robert Mugabe on November 15, 2012 and pledged to continue building strong and respectful relations between Zimbabwe and the United States.

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Press inquiries should be directed to Jillian Bonnardeaux, Acting Public Affairs Officer, hararepas@state.gov; Tel: 758800/1; Url: http://harare.usembassy.gov