Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Online Correspondent
Zimbabwe remains committed to facilitating free movement of people across Africa, but security concerns must guide the process, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ambassador Raphael Faranisi has said.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign delegation, Ambassador Faranisi, said regional economic cooperation was more effective when lessons from blocs such as SADC, the East African Community and COMESA were applied.
He said challenges like transnational organised crime, particularly drug trafficking, require careful management of visa regimes.
“Securocrats, those in immigration, will then develop cold feet when it comes to having an open visa regime,” Ambassador Faranisi said. “But what we should move away from is stigmatising. At the official level, we should not stigmatise.”
Ambassador Faranisi highlighted Zimbabwe’s cultural and environmental assets and described them as key drivers for tourism and economic activity.
“Africa will still boast some of the biggest assets in terms of environment. People from Europe want to experience this,” he said.
“The climate project you have embarked on is a great source of inspiration because it promotes greater economic activity among countries, greater tourism.”
Mr Ras Mubarak, leader of the Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign, said Zimbabwe’s tourism sector has tremendous potential to stimulate intra-African trade.
“Currently, your hotels are getting full, but a lot of these stories involve non-Africans,” he said. “We want to see intra-African travel and trade.”
Mr Mubarak said he said visa-free movement would create jobs and strengthen local economies.
He said Africa was important in prioritising its own economic interests.
“Take Zambia, for instance. Poultry products are doing well there. Why should West Africa import poultry from Europe when we can trade among ourselves? Every dollar spent outside Africa impoverishes African people,” he said.
The campaign, which began on August 18, 2025, in Accra, Ghana, has visited 16 countries so far travelling over 40 000 kilometres.
Mr Mubarak invoked the vision of Pan-African leaders from the 1960s and urged governments to embrace unity, free movement and intra-continental trade as a means to honour the sacrifices of African heroes and secure prosperity for future generations.
