Zimbabwe, Zambia review bilateral co-operation

Published: 11 hours ago

Zimbabwe and Zambia are holding a three-day meeting in Harare to assess progress on joint initiatives and strengthen bilateral ties ahead of the 2026 Bi-National Commission in Lusaka.

The gathering brings together senior officials from both countries for the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the 18th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission on Co-operation (JPCC). The review aims to evaluate progress since the last JPCC meeting in March 2024 and prepare for the upcoming Bi-National Commission.

In his opening remarks, Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs and International Trade Secretary, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, highlighted areas of collaboration, including trade, defence, security, tourism, and agriculture.

"The working relationship between ZimTrade and its Zambian counterpart, the Zambian Development Agency (ZDA), is commendable," Chimbindi said. "For instance, ZimTrade recently visited Zambia to identify land for the construction of a warehouse in Kasumbalesa, a project that will boost trade in fast-moving consumer goods and agricultural equipment between our countries."

Chimbindi also noted progress in tourism, citing the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation and the convening of the Joint Tourism Technical Committee Meeting in Kariba earlier this year. He emphasized that, given both economies are agro-based, cooperation in agriculture remains a "low-hanging fruit" and called for the finalization of pending agreements, including a draft MoU on agricultural collaboration.

"During this session, our deliberations will reflect on areas of mutual benefit and interest, as well as unresolved issues in trade and other engagements," he added. "While there have been several positive steps, it is clear that some important targets remain unmet, and corrective measures are urgently needed."

Representing Zambia, Assistant Director for Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Bentry Sialambwa, reading on behalf of Secretary Etambuyu Gundersen, acknowledged progress while noting ongoing challenges.

"It is important that we focus on the remaining challenges to move the process forward," she said. "These include the finalization of key agreements and MoUs in areas such as immigration, SME development, environment, tourism, and commodity trading."

The meeting will be co-chaired by Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amon Murwira and his Zambian counterpart, Mulambo Haimbe, tomorrow, as both sides work toward reinforcing regional integration and bilateral cooperation.
- newsday

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