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 Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development Initiative, made of provincial councils from Matabeleland region and Limpopo province in South Africa is meeting in Victoria Falls to revive the drive towards coordinating bi-national development efforts.

The initiative that is a product of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between South Africa and Zimbabwe Governments in 2001, led by the respective provinces, had been affected by some challenges including Covid-19.

Matabeleland region comprise Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo led by local authorities and businesses in their jurisdictions.

The initiative seeks to coordinate development within the corridor stretching from the city of Polokwane in Limpopo province and Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North and optimise economic opportunities.

Some of the benefits to accrue from the development initiative are development of one stop border posts, rehabilitation of the Victoria Falls-Bulawayo-Beitbridge-Musina Road, implementation of Special Economic Zones and twinning arrangements for local authorities and development agencies.

Already Bulawayo has a twinning arrangement with Polokwane, and Beitbridge twinned with Musina city while Victoria Falls, Gwanda, and Hwange are working on MoUs that will result in twinning arrangements and some of them will be finalised at this meeting.

Areas of cooperation under the initiative are in agriculture, manufacturing, socio-cultural, tourism, infrastructure and mining.

Welcoming the guests who include acting Premier of Limpopo, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said the initiative will go a long way towards enhancing the country’s opportunities towards achieving Vision 2030.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube is present while her Matabeleland South counterpart Abednico Ncube is represented.