Farai Mabeza
Zimbabwe and Botswana have renewed calls to ease the movement of people, goods and services, placing trade facilitation and border efficiency at the centre of discussions during the ongoing 5th Session of the Botswana–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Harare.
In his opening remarks, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasised the deep ties between the two countries, describing them as inseparable beyond political boundaries.
“The people of Zimbabwe and Botswana are one family. Bonds between Zimbabwe and Botswana are not merely diplomatic, they are historical, cultural and deeply rooted in our shared heritage,” he said. “While borders separate jurisdictions, our communities and even our wildlife continue to move freely. We are one people.”
Mnangagwa stressed the urgency of translating this shared identity into practical measures that improve mobility and trade.
“We must move decisively to ease the movement of people, goods and services,” he said, proposing “a phased framework for the use of national identity documents in place of passports, beginning with border communities and short-term travel.”
He added that modern systems such as “harmonised immigration systems, One-Stop Border Posts, digital clearance platforms, and efficient trader-schemes” should remain priority areas to speed up the flow of goods and lower the cost of doing business.
Botswana President Duma Boko echoed similar sentiments, pointing to persistent barriers that continue to hinder trade between the two neighbours.
“We must accelerate efforts to modernise border infrastructure, streamline customs and immigration processes, reduce non-tariff barriers, and advance the establishment of the proposed One-Stop Border Post at the Plumtree/Ramokgwebana Border Post,” Boko said.
He also expressed optimism about the outcomes of the high-level meeting.
“I am confident that our deliberations over the coming days will be constructive, forward-looking and results oriented. It is my firm expectation that this session will yield concrete outcomes that further deepen our cooperation and deliver tangible benefits to our citizens,” he said.
The BNC session is expected to focus on actionable steps to enhance connectivity, improve trade flows, and strengthen economic integration between the two countries.
