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Wallace Ruzvidzo Herald Reporter

ZIMBABWE is establishing a counter-terrorism centre, which is expected to boost COMESA’s efforts in fighting terrorism and lead to increased trade and development across the bloc, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava said this week.

The Second Republic continued to make concerted efforts to ensure a stable and secure environment to promote and cultivate cross border trade and development among the 21 member Comesa, he told the 18th meeting of COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Lusaka on Tuesday.

“Zimbabwe is now in the process of setting up a Counter Terrorism Centre, which will augment COMESA’s efforts to fight the scourge of terrorism. I would like to make a general comment on the situation in the Mozambican Cabo Delgado Province and in eastern DRC which remained worrisome due to their proximity to some member States.

“As a committed member of SADC and the African Union Peace and Security Council, Zimbabwe continues to be actively engaged in efforts to find solutions which will deliver lasting peace in the two regions,” he said.

Amb Shava said Zimbabwe had also established joint border committees to enhance cross-border networks which would in turn see increased trade and development in the continent.

“Zimbabwe is one of the many member states pushing for a stable and secure environment which can promote and cultivate cross-border trade and development.

“The Second Republic under His Excellency President Mnangagwa has commenced the establishment of joint border committees for the enhancement of our cross-border networks.

“We agree with the secretariat’s report that any further delay in the establishment of these cross border networks will negatively affect the small scale traders in our regions,” he said.

Amb Shava briefed the meeting on Zimbabwe’s impending harmonised elections on August 23 but sought all to remain vigilant in denouncing foreign interference in African countries’ electoral processes.

“Zimbabwe takes note with pride that a number of countries successfully held elections this year in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Indeed, the entrenchment of democratic ideals is a sine-quo-non for peace and security and national development.

“We would however, wish to bring to the fore our concerns on foreign interference in our electoral processes.

“As we have stated before, we believe that foreign interference has an effect of undermining our democracies,” said Amb Shava.

COMESA Secretary General, Ms Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, said there was need to ensure and maintain stability across the bloc.

“Despite the impressive progress made in some parts of our region the two developments have caught our attention and re-ignited the urgent need for us to review the conflict prevention and peace-building strategies that have been employed in recent times,” she said.