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Farirai Machivenyika 

Senior Reporter 

Zimbabwe has proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda on cooperation on infrastructure development between the two countries. 

The proposal was made by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona when he paid a courtesy call on Rwanda’s Infrastructure Minister Claver Gatete yesterday in his on-going working visit to the country. 

Zimbabwe and Rwanda have strengthened ties in various areas since the coming in of the Second Republic, with the East African country sharing its development experiences. 

“It is good practice in sectoral bilateral cooperation such as infrastructure development for our two sister countries to negotiate a broad MoU on cooperation regarding Transport Infrastructure Joint Venture,” said Minister Mhona. 

“This will allow various State and quasi-State institutions under us to identify specific areas of cooperation as investment partners in respective areas such as road motor transportation, rail, aviation, inland water infrastructure, to name but a few. 

“The specific entities shall define their scope of cooperation either through MoUs or agreements as circumstances may warrant. 

“My country is ready to exchange text on this proposed broad Government-to-Government cooperation in the establishment of a transport infrastructure joint venture. I am sure my officials have already exchanged text of the MoU through diplomatic channels so that by the return date, we will be able to sign the same before the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation, which is proposed to be held some time in 2023.” 

Minister Mhona briefed his counterpart on the various infrastructure development projects that Zimbabwe has embarked on, especially in construction of roads and rehabilitation. 

He said it was important to scale up Government-to-Government cooperation in infrastructure development and deepen the people-to-people relations, as these were a catalyst for stronger relations between the two countries. 

“To attain the desired levels of development and fully industrialise our economies and modernise our infrastructure, it is imperative that we develop reliable, adequate and appropriate transport infrastructure in various areas, including efficient railway facilities,” said Minister Mhona. 

“I, therefore, call upon the agencies, parastatals, boards and technical entities under our ministries to explore further areas of cooperation in infrastructure development, with the view to sign MoUs and agreements which take our relations forward.” 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has been supportive of the Second Republic’s development efforts and has on various fora called for the lifting of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.