Africa-Press – Botswana. Determined to deepen their relations and improve the lives of the people of both countries, the presidents of Botswana and Zambia will preside over the inaugural Zambia-Botswana Bi-National Commission.
The event is part of President Advocate Duma Boko’s state visit to Zambia at the invitation of President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.
Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale, speaking at the Ministerial Meetings of the Inaugural Session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the two countries, said the BNC session was a landmark occasion that reflected the strength and maturity of the countries’ bilateral relations.
“By signing this agreement, our leaders sought to not only strengthen our bilateral relations but also facilitate the construction of productive engagements across various areas of mutual interest,” he said.
The areas include trade and investment, infrastructure and transport, energy, environment and tourism, education and skills development, health, agriculture, food security, and peace and security.
Dr Butale further described the agreement as a significant layer to the longstanding friendship between the two countries, aimed at improving the livelihoods and economic well-being of the citizens of both nations.
He said Botswana and Zambia had already collaborated on the Kazungula Bridge, which had eased the movement of people and goods across the border and linked the two countries to the rest of the region and continent as part of the North-South corridor.
Another transformative initiative with the same potential to enhance trade facilitation, economic development, job creation, and regional connectivity and integration is the Musetse Kazungula Livestock and Railway project.
“The progress made in the realisation of this project is commendable and stands as a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together with purpose and unity,” said Dr Butale.
He added that Botswana was committed to working closely with Zambia in finalising all pending issues related to the Kazungula Bridge project and the operationalisation of the Kazungula Bridge Authority, as well as the commencement of the construction of the Musetse Kazungula Livestock and Railway project.
Dr Butale also mentioned that the Kazungula Bridge project already attracted heightened activity in the border area, calling for increased vigilance and coordination by border agencies to ensure security and efficiency.
The ministerial session would share progress made in joint border management, surveillance, training and capacity building, information sharing, and promoting community awareness, he said.
The Zambia Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Mulambo Haimbe, said the joint ministerial preparatory meeting was a crucial step in ensuring that the heads of state were presented with clear, well-coordinated recommendations that had been proposed at the technical and senior officials level.
He said the Bi-National Commission represented a significant evolution of the two countries’ bilateral relations.
The Bi-National Commission elevates the two nations relations from the existing Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC) to the highest structured bilateral mechanism.
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