Africa-Press – Botswana. A meeting between Botswana, Zimbabwe and two other neighbouring countries to find a solution to cross-border livestock rustling would be held in July.
President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi revealed this when officially opening the 4th Botswana-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) session in Maun on Friday.
He said the July meeting would focus on a framework of agreement on livestock rustling among the countries.
He said cross-border livestock rustling had become a thorny issue not only for communities residing along the border, but also for the two governments.
President Masisi urged all officials to move with speed and ensure the implementation of the framework on cooperation, saying it had a direct correlation on the well-being of citizens.
President Masisi said the commission was created to widen and deepen the scope of bilateral, regional and multilateral relations between Botswana and Zimbabwe.
He also said it gave the two governments the chance to take stock of progress made towards the implementation of agreed commitments from previous meetings as well as to explore new areas of cooperation.
He said in his meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa they agreed to task their foreign affairs ministers with the development of a comprehensive programme of cooperation between their respective countries covering issues of common interest.
He said they aimed to achieve the SADC and African Union agenda of integration, and that they discussed issues such as easing the movement of people, agriculture, innovation, education, maritime economy, collaboration in the space economy, wildlife, tourism, land management, ecology, water and minerals.
Dr Masisi also cautioned against the signing and shelving of instruments of cooperation.
“This is a practice that we are going to nip in the bud,” he said, adding that they wanted to facilitate the quick implementation of commitments to reap maximum benefits.
Dr Masisi noted that cooperation between Botswana and Zimbabwe dated back to their first formal bilateral relations in 1983 and that it was premised on the two countries’ desire to uplift the livelihoods of their citizens through economic growth, job creation and poverty eradication.
President Masisi also said the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe remained a concern to Botswana and other SADC countries and that they wanted their unconditional removal.
“We will continue to advocate for the unconditional lifting of economic sanctions, which affects not only Zimbabwe but have also had a negative impact on development efforts in our sub continent,” he said.
For his part, President Mnangagwa hailed President Masisi for the commitment he had displayed in strengthening relations between the two countries.
He, however, said more work needed to be done to accelerate the implementation of high income programmes and projects within the two countries.
He added that they should prioritise deepening cooperation in agriculture so that they could feed themselves and develop value chains in the sector in their respective countries.
“We must continue to believe in ourselves and develop viable value chains across all agricultural sub sectors,” he said.
He also said the unrestricted movement of citizens, goods and services was essential to stronger economic cooperation, and that the establishment of a one stop border post would expedite trade between the two countries.
He added that the development of cross border infrastructure projects to increase economic efficiency and competitiveness must be pursued with vigour.
He said the proposed railway line between Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique would increase connectivity in the region, and that he looked forward to strong synergies in the energy sector.
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