Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE and Botswana have agreed to remove the need for passports between their citizens and instead use national identity documents, as the two countries seek to enhance free movement as part of measures to deepen co-operation.
The agreement, which is still to be concretised through the requisite legal and technological framework, will be implemented in a phased approach beginning with local travellers.
This came out during the two countries’ Fifth Bi-National Commission, which was held at State House and presided over by President Mnangagwa and his Botswana counterpart, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko.
In his opening address, President Mnangagwa said he was proposing a phased approach to remove the requirement for passports between citizens of the two countries.
“The people of Zimbabwe and Botswana are one family. Bonds between Zimbabwe and Botswana are not merely diplomatic; they are historical, cultural and deeply rooted in our shared heritage, solidarity, as well as common aspirations for peace, development and prosperity for our countries and peoples.
“While borders separate jurisdictions, our communities — and even our wildlife — continue to move freely. We are one people,” said President Mnangagwa.
“In this regard, we must move decisively to ease the movement of people, goods and services. I propose a phased framework for the use of national identity documents in place of passports, beginning with border communities and short-term travel. Harmonised immigration systems, One-Stop Border Posts, digital clearance platforms and efficient trader schemes remain priority areas towards accelerating the flow of goods and reducing the cost of doing business.”
Asked to comment on the proposal to use identity cards for travellers from the two countries during a press conference, President Boko said he agreed with the proposition.
“We are looking at the introduction of cryptic graphic national identity cards, which will obviate the need to carry the card around with you. You can have the details on your smartphone and whenever you go, you can just tap on the go and we are in the process of deploying the requisite technology to achieve this, that is to make it easy for people to move,” said President Boko.
“But when we deploy these technologies, we must make sure that even on the other side of the border, these technologies are there so that there is no lagging behind and we believe that we will achieve that.”
He said people are migrating between and among countries for different reasons, hence the need to create free movement.
“People move from one country to the next and do this for different reasons. Many Zimbabweans go to Botswana and request to settle there.
“They will emigrate from Zimbabwe to Botswana and others will emigrate from Botswana to Zimbabwe because they see opportunities and at any rate, we are the same people, so there should not be any difficulty in that regard.
“These migrations are informed by the skills individuals possess, which they tend to take across the border and deploy there over a period of time, and over time develop a deeper affinity to the place where they would have temporarily settled. They settled because they brought skills, which are needed and they find they want to settle and become citizens and we welcome all this,” said President Boko.
“So migration, where opportunities are abundant, tends not to cause problems. Problems arise where others think these people are coming to take their jobs.”
He said it was interesting to note that some of the loudest people complaining that they were losing jobs to foreigners would be jobless and have no skills to offer.
President Boko gave an example of a television clip he once watched of a protester in one Western country who remonstrated against immigrants, complaining that they were taking their jobs when he was not even employed or possessed any skill.
President Mnangagwa said there was a need for unity between the two countries to remove bottlenecks that could constrain shared progress.
“Zimbabwe stands ready to work closely with Botswana to ensure that the momentum generated during this Session is sustained and translated into meaningful outcomes ahead of our next meeting,” he said.
In his address, President Boko said the BNC was a historic milestone that stood as a powerful testament to the resilience, unity and determination of the people of Zimbabwe in their pursuit of freedom, sovereignty and national development.
“I wish to reaffirm the deep-rooted bonds of friendship, solidarity and shared history that unite our two nations.
“These ties continue to provide a firm foundation upon which we advance our common aspirations for prosperity, stability and sustainable development.
“The Bi-National Commission remains an indispensable institutional mechanism for steering our bilateral relations.
“It enables us to not only review progress across sectors, but also to identify emerging opportunities for collaboration, as well as to provide strategic direction that ensures our partnership remains dynamic, responsive and mutually beneficial,” said President Boko.
“Through this BNC framework, we have achieved commendable progress across a wide spectrum of sectors, including health, agriculture, trade and investment, transport and infrastructure, energy, tourism, environmental management, as well as defence and security co-operation.
“These efforts are underpinned by a robust architecture of agreements that reflect our mutual trust, shared responsibility and collective commitment to tangible outcomes.”
He commended the Government of Zimbabwe for exemplifying the spirit of good neighbourliness through its timely support to Botswana, particularly in the provision of medical supplies, as well as joint efforts in combating the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease along the two countries’ shared border.
“These instances underscore that our co-operation is not merely conceptual, but practical and impactful, directly improving the livelihoods of our peoples. Trade and economic co-operation remain central pillars of our bilateral co-operation.
“The existing Bilateral Trade Agreement, which provides for preferential and duty-free access, continues to facilitate increased commercial exchanges between our two countries,” he said.
President Boko said it was encouraging that there was growing interest from the private sector in both countries to expand investment activities.
“Institutions such as the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) are actively facilitating investment in key sectors, including mineral processing, agro-processing, dairy and poultry production and horticulture.
Furthermore, Botswana’s participation in the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) and the Botswana-Zimbabwe Business Forum reflects our shared commitment to deepening economic integration,” he said.
The event was attended by Cabinet Ministers from both countries and senior Government officials.
President Boko is today expected to officially open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.
