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Arnold Mutemi and Gabriel Masvora in Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls border post will operate as a one-stop shop for the duration of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly while discussions to make the arrangement permanent are underway. President Mugabe and his Zambian counterpart President Michael Sata signed a bilateral agreement establishing the one-stop border post during the official opening of the general assembly on Sunday.
Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet and chairman of the working party of the UNWTO Inter-ministerial committee, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande said the agreement will speed up the movement of people and goods between the two countries for the duration of the general assembly.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are co-hosting the general assembly which started on Saturday.
The border post would operate 24 hours a day while a fast lane has been set up for UNWTO accredited vehicles, which have been exempted from paying statutory fees.
“The Victoria Falls one-stop border post initiative is a reflection of the continued strengthening of the political and economic ties that exist between the two countries,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Under the agreement, commercial traffic and travellers between the two countries will complete border formalities once, with south-bound traffic from Zambia driving straight to Zimbabwe for clearance by Zimbabwean customs while north-bound traffic will go to the Zambian side.
Border authorities from the two countries will perform joint controls and enforcement in one place.
Rtd Col Katsande said the one-stop border post would eliminate duplication of clearing processes and reduce drastically the time it takes to process both cargo and people.
The Victoria Falls one-stop border post is the second in the country following the launch of the Chirundu one-stop border post in December 2009.
The Chirundu one-stop border post was the first of its kind in Africa and has seen a huge improvement in the movement of cargo between the two countries.
“The Chirundu one stop border post has become a benchmark for the facilitation of trade and travels as well as country-to-country co-operation,” he said.
Delays in the clearance of goods and people at border posts are believed to cost economies of countries in the region millions if not billions of dollars every year.
Meanwhile, the official sessions of the ongoing UNWTO general assembly moves to Livingstone, Zambia, today after four days of deliberations in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
The move, according to UNWTO, is in line with the co-hosting as the two countries jointly won the bid to host the event.
The major programme will be the official closing ceremony in the evening by the two countries’ Heads of State, President Sata of Zambia and President Mugabe.
Although the official closing ceremony is today, UNWTO said proceedings would continue until Friday with more plenary sessions and guided tours for delegates to various tourist sites in the two countries.
“Officially the end of the whole programme will be on Friday where delegates will tour sites in Zambia and Zimbabwe,” a statement from UNWTO indicated.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has stepped up its efforts to ensure that delegates are exposed to more tourist sites in the country and in neighbouring countries by organising trips to selected areas.
Some delegates visited Harare and Mazowe while some visited the Hwange National Park where they experienced first-hand touch of the beauty of the country.
Some went to Botswana as Zimbabwe indicated that it wanted the event to spread to the whole region.
Those who visited Hwange were greeted by traditional dances from the local people before being treated to a sumptuous lunch prepared from meat of some of the animals in the giant national park.
The tour was organised by the Government working together with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority, Khanondo Safaris and other tour operators as part of their support to the general assembly.
Delegates were then taken on a three-hour tour of the park and managed to see some of the animals including the big five.
Delegates especially those from European countries said they were impressed by the Hwange National Park set up which accords visitors the opportunity to see most animals at one place in their natural habitat.
“This is awesome, in Europe you see most of these animals in zoos but here in Africa the experience is magnificent. I wish many people from Europe can come and experience such wonderful beauty,” said one of the people in the delegation from Croatia.
Officials from Khanondo Safaris said they were optimistic that the UNWTO will change the face of tourism in the country as delegates had shown interest in returning to Zimbabwe.
They said tour operators in the country were ready to provide the best services to ensure that their movement and stay in the country is flawless.
Online Reporter