Murwira Urges Zimbabwe-Zambia Partnership to Dismantle Colonial Barriers, Boost Development

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira says Zimbabwe and Zambia must intensify cooperation and adopt home-grown solutions to improve the welfare of their citizens and overcome colonial-era systems that still restrict genuine development.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Zimbabwe–Zambia Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Harare, Minister Murwira said the two neighbours must deliberately break historical constraints if they are to achieve shared prosperity.

“Our goal is to uplift the quality of life for the peoples of Zambia and Zimbabwe,” he said. “Real development is the journey from poverty to prosperity, and it requires unlocking our capabilities and removing colonial laws that still prevent our people from fully enjoying their independence. Those laws were never created to build a Zimbabwe or a Zambia. We are here to dismantle those barriers.”

The BNC, officially launched this week, elevates cooperation between Harare and Lusaka after 45 years of diplomatic relations. Murwira noted that collaboration across multiple sectors, trade, energy, industrialisation and tourism, continues to deepen.

He highlighted the Joint Industrialisation Programme supported by COMESA, ongoing cooperation in hydroelectric power generation at Kariba, and joint tourism promotion initiatives such as marketing Victoria Falls and expanding the KAZA Univisa.

“When families fight, it is usually poverty,” Murwira said. “That is the enemy we are confronting. We are doing so by eliminating obstacles to trade, commerce and free movement between our people.”

He also pointed to major regional infrastructure and energy projects, the Lions’ Den–Kafue railway link and the Batoka Gorge hydroelectric scheme, which he said have the potential to reshape economic activity and bolster regional integration.

Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honourable Mulambo Hamakuni Haimbe, described the establishment of the BNC as a landmark development representing a new phase in bilateral relations. He said the framework reflects the shared vision of Presidents Hakainde Hichilema and Emmerson Mnangagwa for a more results-driven partnership.

“The creation of this BNC is not simply a progression from the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation,” Haimbe said. “It is a bold and intentional move designed to transform our collaboration into tangible, measurable progress across key sectors such as trade, energy, infrastructure and job creation.”

He emphasised the importance of jointly managing shared natural resources, including the Zambezi River Basin and wildlife conservation efforts, as well as the need to accelerate the 24-hour operationalisation of the Victoria Falls, Livingstone One Stop Border Post to boost trade and tourism.

The launch of the BNC follows several high-level engagements this year, including meetings in Livingstone and Victoria Falls and a visit by the UPND Secretary General. Haimbe said these exchanges underline the strong political commitment between the two countries to elevate cooperation to new heights.