Online Reporter
Nduduzo Tshuma in PRETORIA, South Africa
ZIMBABWE and South Africa yesterday signed six agreements to deepen cooperation across key sectors, reaffirming their commitment to translating the two countries’ historic bonds into practical development outcomes and a stronger bilateral partnership.
The agreements were signed at the Heads of State Summit of the Fourth Session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria.
They cover diplomacy, correctional services, agriculture, arts and heritage, women’s empowerment and gender equality, while also strengthening the institutional framework governing the BNC.
The agreements broaden the scope of bilateral cooperation beyond political and diplomatic engagement, creating frameworks for collaboration in areas with direct implications for economic development, institutional capacity, social empowerment and people-to-people relations.
President Mnangagwa and President Cyril Ramaphosa used the summit to emphasise the importance of implementation.
The President underscored Zimbabwe’s commitment to working closely with South Africa at bilateral, regional, continental and international levels to advance their shared goals and aspirations.
“I reaffirm that my administration remains dedicated to work closely with South Africa at the bilateral, regional, continental and international levels to advance our shared goals and aspirations,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the historic relationship between Zimbabwe and South Africa was anchored in shared ancestry, cultural ties and a common history of resistance to colonialism and apartheid.
He said the two countries also shared aspirations for more prosperous economies and improved quality of life, making closer cooperation imperative in responding to contemporary challenges.
“Beyond the geographic border between us, Zimbabwe and South Africa are one people, with a common past and inextricably linked destinies,” President Mnangagwa said.
The six instruments signed during the summit include a Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration between the Zimbabwe Foreign Services Institute and the Diplomatic Academy of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), signed by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira and his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola.
The two ministers also signed the Rules of Procedure governing meetings of the Zimbabwe-South Africa BNC.
Professor Murwira further signed an MoU on cooperation in agriculture with South African Agriculture Minister Willem Aucamp and another on cooperation in arts, culture and heritage with South African Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and South African Minister of Correctional Services Dr Pieter Groenewald signed an MoU on cooperation in correctional services.
Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa and South African Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni signed an MoU on bilateral cooperation in women’s empowerment and gender equality.
The agreements are expected to provide a stronger institutional framework for cooperation while supporting economic development, capacity building, social empowerment and closer people-to-people relations between the two countries.
Both leaders stressed that the BNC should now move beyond agreements and declarations to sustained implementation.
President Mnangagwa called for full use of the BNC’s Decision Management System to monitor implementation of decisions and identify areas requiring corrective action.
He also expressed gratitude for South Africa’s support for Zimbabwe’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and reaffirmed Harare’s commitment to advancing international peace and security.
The President paid tribute to South Africa for its consistent advocacy for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
President Ramaphosa said the agreements and decisions reached during the summit reflected concrete plans to deepen cooperation, but stressed that implementation would determine whether the commitments produced meaningful results.
“The agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed in our presence today, together with the decisions reached, reflect our concrete plans to deepen cooperation,” he said.
“These instruments must now be implemented so that our countries and peoples’ benefit.”
President Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to working with Zimbabwe on peace and security issues, including developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar.
He also reiterated South Africa’s support for efforts towards the lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and the development of economies capable of sustaining livelihoods.
“As we prepare for the Fifth Session of our Bi-National Commission, let us turn our decisions into actions. Let us turn our people’s expectations into reality,” President Ramaphosa said.
