Story by Tafara Chikumira
Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are stepping up efforts to remove barriers at their shared borders, with the three countries agreeing to accelerate digitalisation, harmonise travel permits and streamline border procedures to boost trade and regional integration.
The commitment emerged during the Trilateral Route Management Group and Joint Committee Meeting held in Harare on Tuesday, where officials identified border delays, paperwork and permit requirements as key obstacles to trade and the movement of people across the region.
The three nations said they are pursuing coordinated measures aimed at creating more efficient border systems in line with regional integration goals and the aspirations of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Zimbabwe, which has recently invested heavily in the rehabilitation and modernisation of its ports of entry, is pushing for further reforms, including reducing permit requirements for travellers and embracing digital systems.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Engineer Joy Makumbe, said the region must modernise its border management systems to match the demands of a growing economy.
“The corridors are the lifelines of our economies. We have modernised our borders, where digitalisation has since replaced stamping. Let us move with the times,” she said.
“We need a coordinated approach for our services to be seamless. We are in the process of harmonising our visitor permits. We cannot continue having people spend fruitful business hours seeking permits; it has to stop as we move forward.”
Malawi also signalled its intention to accelerate digital transformation at border posts to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
Principal Secretary in Malawi’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Mr Bright Kumwemba, said moving away from manual systems was critical to improving service delivery.
“We believe we need to do away with paperwork and go digital to avoid unnecessary delays in serving our visitors. We must expedite the time we take in serving our clients,” he said.
Mozambique highlighted progress made in aligning its transport systems with continental standards, saying technology was becoming central to improving both efficiency and safety.
National Director of Transport and Security, Mr Alberto Matusse said Mozambique had already ratified African traffic systems that came into force this year.
“As a country, we have managed to ratify the African traffic systems, which came into effect this year. This means we are implementing the necessary systems where we are even dealing with post-accident services,” he said.
“The safety of our visitors is of paramount importance as we are also dealing with unnecessary delays in processing paper trails.”
The meeting comes as African countries intensify efforts to improve cross-border trade and connectivity under the AfCFTA framework, which seeks to create a single continental market and unlock greater economic integration.
Officials said seamless border management, harmonised regulations and digital systems would be crucial in reducing trade costs, improving the movement of goods and people, and strengthening economic ties among the three neighbouring countries.
