Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
ZAMBIAN President Hakainde Hichilema is scheduled to arrive today for his maiden State visit at the invitation of President Mnangagwa.
During his State visit, the two Heads of State will co-chair the inaugural session of the Zambia-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Harare today.
The BNC, which upgrades the existing Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) to a higher framework of strategic engagement, was preceded by senior officials and ministerial meetings held on Wednesday and Thursday.
In addition to enhancing bilateral cooperation between Harare and Lusaka, the BNC will spur the implementation of joint infrastructure projects and deepen economic integration between the two countries.
Speaking at the ministerial meeting in Harare last night, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira said the BNC was being established after 45 years of diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia, which was reflective of the strong bond between the two countries.
“We are making a clear statement to the growing importance of our relationship going forward,” he said.
“A relationship rooted in our shared history, cemented by common values and sustained through strategic cooperation.
“As two nations born out of the flames of the liberation struggle, our agenda has always been interjoined. We share not just a border but a destination for the current sacrifices on the ground.”
Prof Murwira said the two countries were making frantic efforts to promote regional integration while singling out the planned establishment of a railway line between Lions’ Den and Lusaka as well as the Batoka Hydro project in Kariba.
He said Harare and Lusaka were not moving backwards but charting a bright future for the betterment of peoples in both countries.
“We want to enhance the quality of life of the people of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Development is movement from poverty to prosperity, and this development is through employing capabilities and removing colonial laws so that our people can enjoy independence. So we are here to break those barriers; we are collaborating in a joint industrialisation programme supported by COMESA aimed at regional economic growth,” he said.
In the energy sector, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s cooperation in hydropower generation through Kariba remains a cornerstone of their partnership. The countries continue to jointly promote the Victoria Falls and KAZA UniVisa regime, enhancing mobility and unlocking economic opportunities for communities.
Prof Murwira said although trade between the two countries was good, there was still scope for increased activity.
“This is what we are trying to address through making sure that there’s a free flow of business. Our goals ensure a win-win scenario where both nations benefit equally,” he said.
On his part, Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe said the establishment of the BNC marks a significant step forward in the relations between the two countries.
“It is the outcome of thoughtful consultations and strategic guidance from our Heads of State, President Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia and His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, who both share a compelling vision for a deeper, more results-oriented partnership between our two countries,” he said.
Minister Haimbe said the two countries’ shared efforts must now translate into concrete actions in various sectors.
“As we convene here today (yesterday), it is important to underscore that this BNC is not merely a procedural evolution of the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation but a deliberate and bold step towards catalysing transformation of cooperation,” he said.
Minister Haimbe also relayed Zambia’s solidarity with Zimbabwe in calling for the unequivocal removal of Western-imposed unilateral coercive measures on Harare. “As we have often said, we are Siamese twins joined at the hip and inseparable. Zambia remains steadfast in its solidarity with the Government and people of Zimbabwe and continues to advocate for the complete removal of all sanctions which have constrained the formal realisation of Zimbabwe’s economic potential,” he said.
