Online Reporter
Kudakwashe Mugari-Deputy National Editor
ZIMBABWE and Zambia have moved to strengthen economic cooperation by agreeing to establish a Common Agro-Industrial Park under their Joint Industrialisation Programme.
The initiative is designed to accelerate industrial development, enhance intra-regional trade and improve food security across both nations.
This groundbreaking project was finalised during a high-level meeting of permanent secretaries in Livingstone, Zambia, held from Monday to Tuesday.
The meeting, facilitated by the COMESA secretariat, brought together senior officials from industry, agriculture, and finance ministries alongside international organisations and financiers.
Ambassador Dr Mohamed Kadah, COMESA assistant secretary general for programmes, praised the commitment, noting the CAIP’s potential for job creation, innovation and regional integration.
The park is anchored in the Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs), aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Both governments committed resources and support for the project’s implementation.
Mr Crusivia Hichikumba, Zambia’s Permanent Secretary for Industrialisation and Investment, confirmed his government will provide necessary resources, including staff and office space for the CAIP.
Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, reiterated the Government’s commitment, stressing that as a flagship project of the African Union, they would ensure its success.
The meeting focused on tangible next steps, including finalising the CAIP roadmap, securing resource mobilisation for the pre-implementation phase, site identification, and defining institutional arrangements.
Officials also discussed strategies for leveraging funding from key development partners and financial institutions.
The establishment of the CAIP marks a significant step towards economic integration, poised to generate new opportunities for industrial development, job creation and poverty reduction, strengthening bilateral relations across the region.
