Venezuela and Zimbabwe have signed a cooperation deal to strengthen ties in energy, agriculture, economic and social affairs and culture, a government statement said here Wednesday.

`These agreements reinforce and strengthen relations between the two countries, south-south cooperation and the opportunity to grow and advance together,` said Reinaldo Bolivar, Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister for Africa.

`Zimbabwe is a country with excellent natural resources and very rich in minerals,` Bolivar added.

Venezuela has in recent years upped its involvement in Africa, and has ties with all 54 countries on the continent.

`Venezuela provides great assistance to our country through donations made through the World Food Program,` said Zimbabwe`s Ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Bevuma, who signed the deal.

Once hailed as a model economy, Zimbabwe`s fortunes have nosedived since 2000 when veteran ruler Robert Mugabe seized white-owned farms and handed them over to landless blacks, often with no farming skills.

Zimbabwe`s economy has virtually collapsed over the past decade with inflation out of control and chronic shortages of foreign currency and food.