President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africa and Zimbabwe to address their trade imbalance, saying bilateral trade has almost doubled over the past four years but South Africa continues to export far more to Zimbabwe than it imports.
Ramaphosa was speaking on Friday at the opening of the fourth session of the South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) at the OR Tambo Building in Pretoria, where he welcomed Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his delegation.
Zimbabwe is one of South Africa’s largest trading partners, but Ramaphosa said the growth in trade had not been balanced.
“There is a significant imbalance in trade between our two countries.”
“South Africa exports much more to Zimbabwe than it imports.”
Ramaphosa said the two countries needed to work together to narrow the deficit through instruments such as the Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation.
He also called for greater use of the African Continental Free Trade Area to increase trade between the two countries and improve the balance of goods being exchanged.
“We must use the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area to increase the volume and balance the composition of trade between our two countries.”
He said South Africa and Zimbabwe should expand the production and export of goods manufactured from their natural resources.
The ministerial report to the BNC is expected to assess progress and identify opportunities in mining, energy, agriculture, transport, logistics and water management.
Ramaphosa calls for infrastructure investment
Ramaphosa said economic growth and increased trade would depend on greater investment in infrastructure.
He called for the two countries to work together on bridges, roads, dams, airports, health facilities and schools, while saying the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation were ready to invest in high-impact projects in Zimbabwe.
“These are projects that connect factories and farms to markets. Projects that connect power stations to businesses and homes. That connect dams to taps. That connect countries to their neighbours.”
Ramaphosa said the countries also needed to turn their mineral resources into jobs and economic opportunities.
He pointed to Zimbabwe’s growing production of gold, platinum and critical minerals such as lithium, saying the country was becoming a significant global participant.
South Africa, he said, was increasing investment in mineral exploration and beneficiation.
“We have said for many years that our minerals should be processed at home, that we should export finished products.”
He said the two countries needed to put that objective into practice.
Energy and water cooperation
Ramaphosa called for deeper cooperation in energy through the Southern African Power Pool, saying the region should use its potential to become a leader in generating clean, affordable and reliable energy.
He also highlighted water cooperation, pointing to the agreement to supply water from Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge Water Works to Musina.
He said the agreement was an example of how the two countries could work together to meet basic needs and improve resilience to climate change.
Agriculture was another area highlighted by Ramaphosa, who called for the use of the countries’ arable land to increase production while supporting communal and commercial farmers.
He said this was particularly important as climate change and El Niño droughts continued to affect water sources and grazing land.
Migration and border management
Ramaphosa said South Africa and Zimbabwe also needed to strengthen cooperation on migration and border management.
He called for modernised facilities and systems to make it easier for people and goods to move between the two countries, while strengthening efforts to combat trans-border crime.
The President also raised concerns about conflicts and instability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cabo Delgado in Mozambique and Madagascar.
He said Sudan remained a major concern because of the loss of life, displacement and suffering, while also highlighting the situation in South Sudan and the continued insurgency in the Sahel.
“In a geopolitical environment that has become unpredictable and fractured, there is now even a greater need for the peaceful resolution of conflict, mediation and dialogue.”
Ramaphosa congratulated Zimbabwe on its election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.
He said South Africa and Zimbabwe shared a common history and destiny and that the BNC should deliver tangible benefits for their people.
“Our people expect that this Bi-National Commission will deliver concrete results.”
