Co-Chair, Your Excellency, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe,
Your Excellency, Ambassador Lovemore Mazemo, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa,
Senior Officials from our respective Governments,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning,

Ambassador and Dear Brother, Co-chair, Ambassador Chimbindi, allow me from the outset to convey my warm welcome to you and your distinguished delegation to this Mid-Term Review (MTR) in preparation for the 4th Session of the Bi National Commission (BNC) to be hosted by South Africa from 7 until the 10 of July 2026. We are elated by your presence and for honouring our invitation to come once again to your second home.

I am also honoured to recognise and welcome Ambassador Mazemo to his diplomatic posting in South Africa and to his inaugural South Africa–Zimbabwe BNC. I wish you Ambassador every success in your tenure, and you can count on our support.

As your great Country Zimbabwe commemorates 46 years of independence, we congratulate the government and people of your country on the achievement of this milestone. Relations between our two countries are historic and fraternal, forged by common bonds of history, culture and heritage, and geographical proximity. Collaboration between our two countries is not only natural but also expected. It is against this background that the work of this Senior Officials Mid-Term Review of the BNC is located. We thus need to ensure that we adequately and thoroughly prepare the ground for the forthcoming BNC in July.

My Dear Brother Ambassador Chimbindi, I am certain that with your vast expertise, insight, and diplomatic acumen, we will be able together to steer the proceedings of this MTR with great purpose and focus, with the equally able and diligent participation of the esteemed Senior Officials gathered her today.

Co-Chair, Distinguished Colleagues,

During this mid-term review of Senior Officials, both delegations will have an opportunity to exchange views on bilateral relations focussing on trade and investment cooperation, and social and cultural relations, including migration. Furthermore, perspectives and views will be exchanged on a range of regional, continental and global matters.

We also meet at a time of profound developments in the world. The international geopolitical arena has become fluid, unpredictable, contested and even contains elements of fragility. The global system of governance is also facing strain and in certain instances, we can say multilateralism is under threat. We need to redouble our collective efforts to achieve a peaceful and secure world, including a stable Africa. The global economic landscape has also seen significant shifts. While the global economy has remained resilient, and the economies of fellow African states have performed well over the past few years, challenges remain. For instance, as we seek economic partnerships, certain countries seem to be retreating into isolation.

It is thus incumbent on South Africa and Zimbabwe, as strategic neighbours and allies, to cooperate more closely in the spirit of solidarity. Our pan African roots provide a context for deepened bilateral cooperation.  As we gather here, we mark 11 years since the establishment of the BNC in April 2015. Recent sessions of the BNC have underscored the depth, continuity, and strategic importance of our bilateral cooperation. Furthermore, since the establishment of the BNC between our two countries, high-level exchanges have continued to take place, including between the two Heads of State, their Excellencies President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Emerson Mnangagwa.  The Foreign Ministers also held a bilateral engagement on the margins of the SADC Council of Ministers in Pretoria in March 2026. The regularity and intensity of these high-level engagements, including between sectoral Ministers from both countries, is testimony to the commitments our leaders have in consolidating relations. Similarly, our technical experts continue to work closely in various areas of cooperation.

Co-Chair, Distinguished Colleagues,

South Africa and Zimbabwe are steadfast in our commitment to regional integration and cohesion. Our countries are acutely aware that to achieve integration and sustained prosperity, and to realise our collective aspirations, we need to work closely within the SADC region. We commend Zimbabwe for its previous chairship of SADC, for the leadership provided to the region and for continuing to play an active role as part of the SADC Troika. When standing united and together, South Africa and Zimbabwe are much stronger.

Co-Chair, Distinguished Colleagues,

Opportunities for deepened cooperation between South Africa and Zimbabwe are enormous and therefore these should be pursued for the mutual benefit of both countries and our region. The foundations are already there. The North-South Corridor, which is a flagship project of SADC, is the economic artery of Southern Africa, carrying the bulk of freight between the Port of Durban and key markets across Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, despite its strategic importance, the North-South Corridor continues to face structural constraints.

We are quite aware that in order to increase the efficiency of the North-South Corridor, there are three fundamental issues that needs to be addressed. Firstly, corridor transit times need to be consistently shorter and predictable, within prescribed legal and safety limits. Secondly, and related, there is also a necessity to have more predictable crossing times, and thirdly, it is crucial to improve port performance, in this case in the Durban Port.

Developments related to the strengthening of capacity on the Beitbridge Border post are equally paramount.  The Beitbridge border post is recognised as the busiest land border crossing in Africa, connecting our countries and the region. Therefore, the modernisation of the One Stop Border post is essential. We commend Zimbabwe for building a second bridge to ease congestion, and discussions are under way for the building of a third bridge. We are therefore encouraged by ongoing discussions between the Ministers of Transport of both countries in this regard and explore opportunities.

Co-Chair, Distinguished delegates,

South African companies continue to invest in Zimbabwe and are keen to expand their investments. A further significant area worth collaborating in is investment and cooperation in the mining sector between South Africa and Zimbabwe, particularly in the area of critical minerals. Our two countries, given our expertise in this sector, can also develop strategies for effective beneficiation and thus enhance the overall value chain. In addition, apart from the necessity of cooperation in energy infrastructure, road and rail construction, it is equally important that the levels of trade between the two countries are elevated. It in this regard, it is imperative that the basket of trading goods is increased and is balanced, for the mutual benefit of both countries, and to move beyond agriculture to other goods as well.

Co‑Chairs and Colleagues,

The state of peace and security on our continent remains a challenge. Without peace, stability and security, development will be hampered. In our region, which has largely been an epitome of stability, the situation in the eastern DRC remains a challenge. South Africa also continues to monitor developments in Cabo Delgado Province, in northern Mozambique.

It is saddening to witness the tragic events that has befallen the people of Sudan, wherein a civil war has ravaged a country, killed thousands of citizens, destroying infrastructure and livelihoods, severely disrupting the economy and seeing millions of Sudanese either being internally displaced or refugees in neighbouring countries. A major humanitarian crisis compounded by severe hunger has emerged in parts of the country. In the Sahel region, the countries in that part of our continent are experiencing serious security challenges.

In this context, South Africa and Zimbabwe, working with fellow African countries under the auspices of the African Union, should urge for the acceleration of efforts geared towards the strengthening of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture. A key pillar of this is the importance of realising the operationalisation of the African Stand-by Force.

At the broader global level, South Africa remains concerned about rising conflicts and tensions, which impact adversely on the developing South. It is also essential that South Africa and Zimbabwe, working with other partners, reiterates calls for reforms of the global institutions of governance, including the United Nations Security Council, so that this and other important bodies reflects the global diversity of the United Nations membership of countries.

As I conclude, Co‑Chair and Colleagues, we stand ready to work closely with all Committees of this MTR to ensure comprehensive reports, identify new opportunities, resolve challenges and ensure timely outcomes. I wish you success in your deliberations. I now declare this Mid-Term Review Session of Senior Officials Open, and invite my fellow Co-Chair and Brother, Ambassador Chimbindi, to deliver his opening remarks.

I Thank You.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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