Zim poised to become model land-linked country

ZIMBABWE will soon be a model landlocked country as it provides key transportation routes that will link the African continent, President Mnangagwa has said.

This comes as the Second Republic has been positioning Zimbabwe to become a prototype of a land-linked country through modernisation of its ports including the Robert Mugabe International Airport and Beitbridge Border Post which is now an envy of the Sadc region.

As Zimbabwe further re-orients and aligns its logistics infrastructure, it is also constructing a new port, 60 kilometres north of Beira following its successful engagement with Mozambique with dualisation of the Harare-Mutare-Beira Road underway.

Writing in his weekly column in our sister paper, The Sunday Mail yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe is on the right path to be a typical land-linked nation.

“A lot looks very bright for our country and our SADC sub-region. We remain determined to make Zimbabwe the model of a land-linked country and a sub-regional transport hub,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the visit to the refurbished Beitbridge Border Post by his South African counterpart President Cyril Ramaphosa was premised on making their infrastructures and systems compatible.

“The purpose of that joint tour was to ensure we lay the infrastructural basis for seamless port operations to promote efficient movement of people, goods and services,” he said.

“This critical goal rides on our excellent historical and bilateral relations, and on our ever-strengthening trade and investment ties. South Africa is much more than a neighbour; it is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner, numerous people-to-people social and cultural affinities quite apart.”

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was also South Africa’s gateway to and from the north, making bilateral relations comprehensive and strategic.

“Against this important consideration, our infrastructures have been lagging behind the ever-growing demand, and were not quite talking to each other by way of operating systems and procedures.

“We were the first to do something about this mismatch, through the modernisation of the Beitbridge port. Today, it is an exemplar of a modern and efficient port infrastructure and operating system,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said he was glad to be able to share Zimbabwe’s experiences in developing the Beitbridge port with the South African brothers and sisters.

He said in their discussions of possibilities of building another bridge across Vembe or Limpopo River, Zimbabwe, which will wholly fund the project, will require landing rights from South Africa.

“I am happy that President Ramaphosa was supportive. An additional bridge will enhance vehicular traffic between our two territories, thus, improving even more the movement of people, goods and services,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said both leaders realised that Beitbridge and Musina do not have good airport facilities for air traffic with Zimbabwe intending to extend the existing runway to enable it to host bigger aircraft.

“This would give the border town and post a triad modal capacity, namely, rail, road and air traffic. Our refurbishment and extension of Buffalo Range Airport is part of our grand plan for the Southern Corridor,” he said.

President Mnangagwa also said that while on his way to Beitbridge Border Post, he appreciated the expansion of cane fields in Chiredzi.

“This is most encouraging given that Tugwi Mukosi waters are now available and are being utilised fully, and gainfully.

“Government is already working on a new masterplan premised on waters of Lake Mutirikwi and Manjirenji Dam, which should underpin the development of drylands in Masvingo province,” he said.

While Zimbabwe has already adopted climate-proofing methods to guarantee national food security including the construction of dams, President Mnangagwa said greening the southern corridor was now inevitable.

“Plans are afoot to build a huge water body, Tende-Runde, through private capital.

“South Africa has a direct interest in this mega project, which should slack the thirst of South Africa’s Limpopo, quite apart from turning dry districts of Mwenezi and Beitbridge into green belts,” he said.-herald