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Mukudzei Chingwere-Herald Reporter

Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to develop the terms allowing for passport-free travel between Zimbabwe and Botswana, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere has said.

The directive will be implementing last week’s agreement between President Mnangagwa and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi to open up borders between the two neighbours for their citizens to travel with just identity documents.

Dr Muswere said the agreement between the two Presidents was part of SADC integration which aims to strengthen socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation of southern African states.

“They (the Presidents) have agreed in principle and in terms of policy direction to allow for a free movement dispensation by using identity documents,” said Dr Muswere.

While the easier travel arrangements was good for trade, and while the present arrangement focused on Zimbabwe and Botswana, if was all part of the SADC integration planning.

“Modalities have been put in place and in particular from the Republic of Zimbabwe. 

“The Minister of Home Affairs has been directed to start developing a legal and operational framework which will allow for the free movement of Zimbabweans and also the people from the Republic of Botswana in terms of using identity documents,” said Dr Muswere.

Cabinet received the report, from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Fredrick Shava, on President Mnangagwa’s attendance at the summit of the Kusi Ideas Festival during his Botswana visit.

The President led a delegation to the Kusi Ideas Festival summit on 7 December, at the invitation of President Masisi. 

The Kusi Ideas Festival is aimed at establishing a Pan-African marketplace for exchanging ideas, seizing opportunities, and fostering innovations that catalyse and propel Africa’s development on the twenty-first century global stage.

Dr Muswere said, President Mnangagwa’s intervention during the deliberations of the Presidential roundtable titled: The Journey to 2063: Presidential Perspectives, the President observed that Africa had the world’s most arable and fertile lands and the onus was on its people to derive maximum benefit from exploring the resource.

“He gave an overview of the measures the Government of Zimbabwe was deploying as part of efforts to ensure food security including, among others, the 52:19 model,” said Dr Muswere.

“Regarding peace and security in Africa, His Excellency the President condemned underhand tactics by some powerful countries that purport to enhance peace, human rights and democracy aspirations, while clandestinely funding conflicts and unconstitutional changes of government, for their own self-interest.

“He also condemned the use of unilateral and illegal sanctions as a foreign policy tool by some states, to coerce and enforce their will over sovereign states, including Zimbabwe and Cuba.”