Zim/Moza joint commission underscores need to arrest cross-border crimes

Fidelis Munyoro and Victor Maphosa, Harare Bureau
Zimbabwe and Mozambique have underscored the need for timeous implementation of agreed interventions to arrest cross-border crimes and other emerging threats to security and peace in the two countries.

The permanent secretary of defence Mr Martin Rushwaya said the 11th Session of the Zimbabwe-Mozambique Joint Permanent Commission on defence and security which is underway in Harare, is a clear demonstration of the long standing fraternal relations between the two countries.

Mr Rushwaya said this in his closing remarks following marathon committee meetings to deliberate on various issues involving cross-border crimes, peace, security and defence.

“I note with satisfaction that our deliberations covered all the pertinent offence and security issues that are not only of mutual interests to our two countries but to the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the African Continent in General,” said Mr Rushwaya.

“The onus is now on us to ensure timely implementation of the resolutions we set for ourselves. That will enable us to realise positive outcomes for reportage during the 12th Session of our Joint Permanent Commission on Offence and Security. ”

Mozambican police’s Senior Assistant Commissioner Paulo Chachine reminded the participants drawn from various sectors of defence and security that the deliberations have a deep impact on the security and free movement of goods and people of the two countries and the region as well.

“We hope that the interventions and recommendations that were tabled during the forum may be of great prominence on helping our seniors in terms of decisions to be made, to safe guard the macro- designs related to peace, security and development within the framework of good-neighborhood,” he said.

Both countries’ defence and security ministers are expected to address the joint commission.

The joint permanent commission provides an important platform for information sharing and the formulation of joint strategies that are used to address common security challenges facing both countries.