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Leonard Ncube  Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Victoria Falls Border will be closed this Friday to facilitate the launch of a uni-visa regime to be done on no man’s land on the Victoria Falls Bridge.A multi-departmental team visited Victoria Falls on Thursday and held a preparatory meeting with the local organising committee before crossing the border to meet its counterparts in Zambia.

This is the second time the two countries co-hosted a major event after the successful hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) last year.

Director of Policy, Research, Planning and Development Douglas Runyowa leads the team which also includes Assistant Regional Immigration Officer Temba Joel Mgugu.

Chairing the meeting, Mgugu said there would be notification on the closure of the border to facilitate planning as no movement would be allowed at the border on the day of the launch until late in the afternoon after the occasion.

“The two countries will be launching the pilot Kaza uni-visa between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The project started at the UNWTO last year when the two countries agreed to have free movement between each other,” said Mgugu.

“People will be notified of the closure for the period of the occasion, which might be from morning until late afternoon. How long the border will be closed will depend on the amount of time those who will set the venue such as pitching the tent and arranging chairs will take.”

Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conserva-tion Area (Kaza), is bankrolling the programme of uni-visa launch and will also host a cocktail dinner to be attended by council of Ministers of Tourism from the two countries and beyond.

The temporary closure of the border will likely lead to a pile up of traffic at the border especially at a time when Botswana has banned haulage trucks from using its Kazungula Border because of the Ebola scare.

There are also tour operators who on a daily basis cross to the either side of the bridge with clients either to airports in Zambia or Zimbabwe.

Runyowa said notices will be placed at all ports of entry so travellers can plan their journeys if they would be using the Victoria Falls Border Post.