Story by Tichaona Kurewa
THE 34th Session of the Zimbabwe-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS) kicked off in Victoria Falls this Saturday, marking a crucial step towards enhancing security cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting comes at a time when the region is facing escalating security challenges, including terrorism in Mozambique and the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key issues addressed during the meeting included the proliferation of sophisticated weaponry among non-state actors, such as drone technology, and the impact of climate change on regional stability.
Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry of Defence Mr Aaron Nhepera, stressed the need for innovative strategies to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape.
“It is incumbent upon us, to keep focused and to be innovative in our collective efforts to peacebuilding and conflict resolution in our quest to contribute to international peace and security. The currently obtaining geo-political shifts, underpinned by tension, mistrust, and rivalry between and among leading global powers however tend to complicate our efforts towards the realisation of sustainable peace and security.
“Appropriate strategies are therefore required to navigate this fluid landscape in pursuit of Africa’s Agenda 2063 of silencing the guns,” Mr Nhepera said.
Zambia’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Mr Maambo Haamaundu concurred, calling for the implementation of resolutions to address security concerns.
“I appeal to you all to deliberate freely so that we can devise better strategies to enable us to address our mutual security concerns. Let us also commit ourselves to implementing the resolutions once passed in line with the mandate of the commission to enhance relations between our two countries, as well as security along our common border,” he said.
The JPCDS is tasked with addressing a range of mutual concerns, including transnational organized crimes such as smuggling, human and drug trafficking, illegal migration, cybercrime, and terrorism.
