Harare, (New Ziana) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on Tuesday underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia, as the two countries opened the Ministerial segment of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the 18th Session of the Zimbabwe-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) in Harare.
Ministry permanent secretary, Albert Chimbindi said the MTR is a vital platform to take stock of progress made since the last JPCC held in March 2024, and to set new priorities that will deepen cooperation.
“This MTR affords us a valuable opportunity to review and evaluate our work in order to forge greater coherence and provide direction to further enhance the full and effective implementation of our joint decisions and programmes,” he said.
He commended progress in several clusters of cooperation, notably in defence and security, trade, tourism, and agriculture. Chimbindi praised the recent 34th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security for harmonizing policies and enhancing collaboration between the two countries’ security forces.
On trade, he highlighted ongoing collaboration between ZimTrade and the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), pointing to plans for a warehouse in Kasumbalesa that will boost the exchange of locally produced goods.
He also noted strides in tourism, including the successful Joint Tourism Technical Committee Meeting in Kariba earlier this year, and urged urgency in finalizing the draft Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture to unlock untapped potential. However, Chimbindi cautioned that while there had been notable progress, the JPCC was at risk of failing to achieve some of its agreed targets.
“There are signs that the Joint Commission is not on track to achieve many of the important agreed targets, and corrective measures are therefore urgently needed,” he warned, urging sectoral chairs to identify bottlenecks and introduce robust systems for implementation.
He further called for the updating of the Implementation Matrix to ensure that outstanding agreements are concluded ahead of the inaugural Zimbabwe-Zambia Bi-National Commission scheduled for 2026 in Lusaka.
Representing Zambia, Mr. Bentry Sialambwa, Assistant Director for Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, echoed the need for urgency in completing outstanding agreements.
Speaking on behalf of Ms. Etambuyu Gundersen, Zambia’s Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Sialambwa emphasized that the review should not only celebrate achievements but also address challenges that have slowed progress.
“We need to complete the MOUs on Immigration and SMEs trading so that the level of cooperation moves higher and strengthens the bilateral ties that exist between our two nations,” he said.
Sialambwa reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to regional peace and prosperity, calling for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe to enable its full participation in regional integration. Both sides expressed optimism that the MTR would build momentum towards the Bi-National Commission and provide a solid foundation for expanding cooperation in areas of mutual benefit.
New Ziana
