President Cyril Ramaphosa will be travelling to Harare, Zimbabwe to co-chair the third session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday.
The BNC is preceded by a Senior Officials’ meeting that took place from 7– 8 March 2019, and a Ministerial meeting on 11 March 2019.
The two countries conduct their bilateral relations through a structured BNC established in 2015.
During the BNC, the two Heads of State will review the bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as review progress made with the implementation of bilateral agreements.
To date, the two countries have signed 45 Agreements, which cover a wide range of fields, including trade and investment, health, labour, migration, defence, taxation, tourism, scientific and technological cooperation, water and environment.
Trade cooperation between the two countries is at a high level to the extent that South African exports to Zimbabwe in 2018, amounted to approximately R30.8 billion, while imports from Zimbabwe amounted to approximately R3.6 billion, thus placing Zimbabwe among South Africa’s top trading partners on the continent.
South Africa and Zimbabwe have good bilateral political, economic and social relations underpinned by strong historical ties dating back from the years of the liberation struggle.
President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu, Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, Home Affairs, Siyabonga Cwele, Transport, Blade Nzimande and Social Development Deputy Minister, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu.
