Outgoing United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray says he will quit diplomatic service and retire to civilian life when his tenure expires this month after serving in his country’s civil service for 50 years.
Addressing journalists after paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Munhumutapa Building offices in Harare yesterday, Ray said he would wind up his diplomatic assignment in a few weeks’ time.
“I look forward to leaving with mixed emotions. I have been in government for 50 years, so I would like to know what it is like to be a private citizen. In the 50 years I have been travelling around the world, I learnt that every country’s political formation is different,” Ray said.
“I wouldn’t call relations between the two countries (Zimbabwe and the US) sour. If you compare relations between my country and Zimbabwe three years ago, you would not exactly say they’ve soured, evolved, yes. Relations could be better and we’ve made efforts to make them better.
“We have never downgraded or changed our relationship; we have always had relations at an ambassadorial and diplomatic level since the very beginning though sometimes it has been very rocky.”
