The two countries push to sign all pending legal instruments of cooperation.
Botswana and Zimbabwe governments are expected sign on all pending legal bi-national agreements during the two country’s ongoing bi-national Commission (BNC) in Maun, which begun on Monday, February, 5, 2024, scheduled to end on Friday, February, 09, 2024.
Among the pending agreements is the establishment of a one stop border post in Ramokgwebana/Plumtree border posts and conclusion of a Ponta Technonine railway line Project which would run through Botswana to Mozambique sea port.
Speaking at the BNC Senior Officials Session on Tuesday at Maun Lodge this week, Head of Zimbabwe’s Senior Officials Delegation who is acting Permanent Secretary in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Rosina Chikava described these pending agreements as; ” Urgent’ and encouraged technical staff to leap forward progress on these projects.
“You will agree with me, Co-Chair, that these projects have high level public interest as they are designed to achieve some important development and social objectives. Central to all of them is the noble idea of advancing border efficiency, ensuring free movement of people and trade facilitation,” noted Chikava at the opening of the plenary session.
The Seniors officials meeting has an exceptionally important role in laying the ground work for the meeting of Ministers, which will be held on Thursday, 8 February, followed by meeting of the two country’s heads of State, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana and Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe on Friday.
“It is, thus, crucial that we maintain focus on our goal to come up with an outcome that will be adopted by our principals, with a view to advancing service delivery in our respective countries,” added Chikava.
The two countries have about 45 instruments of bilateral cooperation, most of which according to Chikava are being optimally implemented, “ The Mid-Term Review we held in December 2022 also helped us to conclude negotiations on a number of important instruments in the fields of Trade and Investment Promotion; Cooperative Development and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Air transportation; Prisons and Correctional Services, as well as Gainful Employment of Spouses of Diplomatic and Consular Staff. It is my fervent hope that we will be able to witness the signing of some memoranda before the end of this session.”
She further acknowledged that there are other areas in which progress has not been as fast, or as extensive as anticipated, but that, “Candid identification of implementation gaps during this meeting will help us to re-commit ourselves to address all the impediments standing in the way of progress.”
Meanwhile her counterpart, Botswana’s Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade who is also Heading Botswana’s delegation, Clifford Maribe reiterated that pending agreements needed to be ratified urgently, “It will be recalled that decisions of the 2nd BNC instructed that all pending legal instruments should be finalised and signed. Regrettably I have been informed that we have fallen short of fully implementing this decision. I therefore, implore on all of us to re-double our efforts and conclude negotiations on all pending draft instruments of cooperation.”
Maribe further pointed out the importance the two countries attach to economic diplomacy, which he said entails intensified economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, “There are abundant opportunities that remain untapped in this area, particularly with regard to trade and investment opportunities. In this regard, it is pleasing to note that the Joint Trade Committee convened their meeting on February 2nd to the 3rd here in Maun, in readiness for this 4th BNC Session. I am also pleased to note that a Business Forum will be convened on the 8th of February 2024, Organised and coordinated jointly by the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and ZIMTrade.”
Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa was re-elected to a second term in office in August 2023 while Masisi is seeking re-election for the second term this year as Botswana goes to the polls in October 2024.
If President Masisi wins, then both terms of these Presidents who have created deep fraternal relations will end in 2028, two months apart.
