EDITORIAL COMMENT: Zim-SA landmark deals to strengthen ties Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and South Africa’s International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane sign an agreement while Presidents Mugabe and Zuma look on in Tshwane yesterday. Inset: First Ladies Grace Mugabe and Thobeka Madiba-Zuma share a lighter moment
Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and South Africa’s International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane sign an agreement while Presidents Mugabe and Zuma look on in Tshwane yesterday. Inset: First Ladies Grace Mugabe and Thobeka Madiba-Zuma share a lighter moment

Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and South Africa’s International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane sign an agreement while Presidents Mugabe and Zuma look on in Tshwane yesterday. Inset: First Ladies Grace Mugabe and Thobeka Madiba-Zuma share a lighter moment

ZIMBABWE and South Africa have elevated their historically strong ties to another level through the just-ended State visit by President Robert Mugabe at the invitation of his counterpart Jacob Zuma.

We hail the camaraderie that characterised the deliberations between officials of the two countries and landmark deals signed as they will strengthen ties between the two countries.

The three-day visit — the second by Cde Mugabe since South Africa attained majority rule and the end of apartheid — saw the countries signing three landmark agreements and two memoranda of understanding that are expected to steer bilateral relations and development of the two neighbours to greater heights.

We hope both countries will move with speed to operationalise the deals for the benefit of the citizens of their respective nations. The key agreement was on the establishment of a Bi-National Commission, which Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and South Africa International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane signed off.

The two ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding on Diplomatic Consultations while Finance ministers Patrick Chinamasa and Nhlanhla Nene signed the agreement on Mutual Assistance between Customs Administrations.

The agreement on Co-operation on Water Resources Management and establishment and functioning of the Joint Water pact were signed off by Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and his South African counterpart.

Zimbabwe Industry and Trade Minister Mike Bimha and South Africa’s Rob Davies signed an MoU on Economic and Trade Co-operation. The signing of the agreement on the establishment of the Bi-National Commission is quite significant as it will be superintended over by the two Presidents ensuring that it receives the highest priority.

The MoU on Diplomatic Consultations will establish a mechanism for regular diplomatic consultations on issues to do with strengthening bi-lateral relations, security and other issues of mutual interest.

The agreement on Mutual Assistance Between Customs Administrations is crucial towards the establishment of a one-stop border post at Beitbridge and we urge officials on both sides to ensure that it is operational as soon as possible to facilitate increased trade and ease congestion at Africa’s biggest inland port of entry.

While Zimbabwe and South Africa share common historical and cultural bonds anchored on Zimbabwe’s support for South Africa’s liberation struggle that relationship has tended to be skewed in favour of the latter when it comes to trade.

Due to the sheer size of its economy and advanced technological infrastructure, the balance of trade will always favour South Africa but there is a need for fair trade between the two countries. Economic cooperation between the two countries has grown well over the past decade as evidenced by the presence of a large number of South African companies in Zimbabwe as well as the increasing trade volumes.

In 2014, South Africa’s exports to Zimbabwe amounted to R24.8 billion while Zimbabwe’s exports to South Africa reached R2 billion. The clinching of the agreements, however, is expected to have far reaching implications for the way the two countries do business.

For instance, the signing of the Bi-National Commission means that the two countries have upgraded their bilateral relations beyond the traditional level of the Joint Permanent Commission.

Zimbabwe has always insisted it wants a fair, just and reciprocal trade relationship with its northern neighbour and barriers to trade must be removed so that goods move both ways hassle free.

The country also wants to be taken as a serious mining giant in the region and joint ventures between South African and Zimbabwean mining concerns need to be explored. The issue of a growing Zimbabwean migrant population in South Africa was also discussed with Harare concerned that critical skills being imparted by locals were not being recognised.

We feel this is apt in the wake of a recent resurgence of xenophobic sentiment in that country. Zimbabwe is South Africa’s largest trading partner and the two countries need to strengthen their symbiotic relationship.

As President Mugabe said following the signing ceremony, the two countries could learn from each other. “We of Zimbabwe, being the younger economic partner and President Zuma and South Africa being the elder brothers with a more advanced system . . . we look at our resources and see how joined efforts could bring about in that integrated manner better, quantitatively more and qualitatively better products to transform to add value.

“Sure South Africa is advanced but there is still more to do in transforming those resources and that is why we decided to bring together 10 ministers from President Zuma’s side and 10 from President Mugabe’s side.”

 

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