Charles DuriFreeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE and Mozambique officials are holding a Joint Border Committee meeting in Beira, aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, improving corridor performance and ensuring the seamless movement of people and goods between the two countries.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Joy Makumbe, is leading the Zimbabwe delegation.
The meeting is being attended by various officials from foreign affairs, industry and commerce, immigration, customs, law enforcement, the ministries of Agriculture and Health, National BioTech Authority, ZINARA, Zimra and National Handling Services, among others.
Addressing the meeting, Eng Makumbe said the Beira Corridor in Mozambique is the lifeline of the two countries’ economies because it supports agriculture, mining, manufacturing, industry, and the livelihoods of millions of citizens.
“It is my honour and privilege to address you at the opening of this important session of the Joint Border Committee (JBC), convened under the framework of the warm and longstanding bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Mozambique,” she said.
“Our gathering today is a clear demonstration of our shared commitment to strengthening regional connectivity, improving corridor performance, and ensuring that the movement of people and goods between our two nations is safe, predictable, and seamless.
“Our cooperation is not merely administrative; it is strategic. Zimbabwe and Mozambique are bound together by geography, by trade, and by a shared vision of an integrated, competitive, and prosperous region.
“The Beira Corridor is the lifeline of our economies. It supports agriculture, mining, manufacturing, industry, and the livelihoods of millions of our citizens.”
She said in December 2025, the Ministers of Transport and Infrastructural Development; Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; and Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister visited Forbes Border Post to assess the causes of delays and recommended practical measures to decongest the border.
“Their findings highlighted several persistent challenges: congestion and delays that increase costs, disrupt supply chains, and reduce competitiveness; infrastructure constraints that have not kept pace with rising traffic volumes; fragmented and inconsistent procedures that undermine predictability for operators; security and compliance risks, including illicit activities that threaten corridor integrity; and limited harmonisation of regulatory frameworks and operational practices between our two countries,” she said.
“These challenges are systemic. They cannot be resolved in isolation. They require coordinated, cross-border solutions — and this is precisely why the JBC mechanism is so important. It provides a structured platform for dialogue, joint planning, and problem-solving, ensuring that corridor issues are addressed collectively rather than in silos.”
She said in March 2026, officials from both countries, with support from TradeMark Africa, met in Mutare to draft the Terms of Reference for the Joint Border Committee for the Forbes–Machipanda Border Post.
Eng Makumbe said the broader objective is to strengthen institutional coordination, streamline systems, and improve efficiency and safety at this strategic gateway along the Beira Corridor.
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