Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare in KARIBA
ZIMBABWE and Zambia have intensified efforts to deepen regional integration and unlock trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through the ongoing demarcation of their common boundary in Lake Kariba, a move Government says will facilitate seamless cross-border commerce while strengthening cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The initiative is being undertaken as the two countries jointly host the 2026 African Border Day commemorations in Kariba, where policymakers, diplomats, border experts and representatives of border communities are meeting to promote peaceful border governance and regional economic integration.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development Professor Prosper Matondi said the placement of boundary buoys in Lake Kariba was not intended to create barriers but to provide certainty that would enable communities and businesses on both sides of the border to interact more efficiently.
“We are putting buoys that are supposed to demarcate Zimbabwe and Zambia,” he said.
“The reason why we are doing that is simple. We do not want to confuse our people in terms of how they do their transactions and how they connect with each other, so that they are very sure of what this boundary is and what it means.
“But it is not about demarcating to exclude. It is to connect our people so that they are able to do their transactions, be it trade or social visits, without the encumbrances of unclear boundaries.”
Prof Matondi said the exercise marked another practical step towards advancing Africa’s integration agenda, where clearly defined and well-managed borders are increasingly viewed as instruments for promoting trade, investment and development rather than division.
He said Zimbabwe remained committed to regional economic integration through the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The Permanent Secretary said the forthcoming COMESA Summit, which Zimbabwe will host, would further accelerate efforts to remove barriers to trade and improve economic cooperation across the region.
“What we want in our region is to promote participation,” he said.
“We want practical measures that ensure the realisation of free trade within our continent.”
Prof Matondi said the Zimbabwe-Zambia border formed part of a wider regional economic corridor that extends through the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), which links Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, creating opportunities for trade, tourism, conservation and investment involving millions of people.
He said the clear demarcation of the Lake Kariba boundary would also strengthen cooperation in managing shared natural resources, including fisheries, where both countries have been working together to address challenges such as overfishing and the protection of breeding areas.
African Border Day, established under the African Union Border Programme, is commemorated annually to encourage peaceful border management, cross-border cooperation and socio-economic development among African countries.
This year’s commemorations come as Zimbabwe continues implementing its engagement and re-engagement policy while positioning itself to play a more influential role in regional and continental affairs through expanded trade, infrastructure connectivity and deeper economic integration under Vision 2030 and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
