President Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a meeting at the Beitbridge Border Post to discuss the logistics surrounding the construction of a third bridge across the Limpopo River. The goal is to enhance regional and global trade.
Both leaders also pledged to fully implement the One-Stop-Border Concept, a collaborative effort aimed at simplifying border procedures and promoting smoother cross-border business operations between their nations.
This gathering came about after their discussions at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Zimbabwe plans to fund the bridge project internally, and it has received approval from the Cabinet for its construction. Zimbabwean experts are actively working on the necessary legal frameworks, and the chosen contractor is in the final stages of conducting feasibility studies.
money spent on Beitbridge Border Post
Beitbridge Border Post has undergone a $300 million refurbishment, resulting in three terminals for freight, buses, and private cars/pedestrians
President Mnangagwa emphasized the government’s commitment to developing sufficient infrastructure to support the increasing volume of regional and international trade.
The construction of a second road bridge aims to facilitate the smooth movement of commercial cargo through the Beitbridge Border Post, thus enhancing regional and international trade.
President Mnangagwa mentioned, “We met in New York, and my brother and I had a conversation where we agreed to meet in Musina. When he mentioned his visit to the border, I suggested he couldn’t come to Musina without visiting the border. So, we’ve exchanged ideas on ways to improve business operations, including the necessary infrastructure on both sides of the border.”
After completing the new border post, Zimbabwe sought permission from South Africa for the construction of the third bridge, which will run parallel to the New Limpopo Bridge.
President Ramaphosa praised President Mnangagwa for the modernization of the border post and underscored the importance of coordinating infrastructure development on both sides of the Limpopo River, which holds shared historical significance. He emphasized that the construction of a new bridge would significantly enhance trade, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
President Ramaphosa emphasized the vital role of infrastructure development in promoting trade and investment growth within the region, especially within the framework of the One-Stop-Border-Post concept. This concept streamlines border procedures and clearance processes for travelers and cargo, ensuring that operations are synchronized, and clearance is done just once for entry into either country, thus eliminating redundant processes at both borders.
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