Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (right) and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa (left) attend an event together on November 1 (XINHUA)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe resigned on November 21, ending almost four decades of near total dominance of the country's political landscape. Mugabe's decision was made after weeks of political crisis within the country after he sacked Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president in early November. This led to the nation's military stepping in to take control of the government on November 15. Four days later, Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party removed Mugabe from his position as party leader and asked for his resignation as president.

After Mugabe's resignation, Mnangagwa was sworn in as the third president of Zimbabwe since independence. The new leadership is expected to provide new opportunities for the country to reform its rigid economic system so as to achieve economic and social progress.

Copyedited by Francisco Little

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