By Staff Reporter

The 10th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation(JPCC) has come to an end after three days of negotiations and discussions between Malawi and Zimbabwe. The ultimate purpose of the meeting was to solidify the relationship between Malawi and Zimbabwe through various areas of cooperation.

The 10th JPCC meeting, has achieved various notable developments including re-evaluating the two parties’ bilateral status as well as, deepening the cooperation between the two countries. It has also reinvigorated the two countries’ ability to explore new areas of cooperation. The meeting has provided an opportunity for the two countries to discuss socio-economic development matters of mutual interest, among others.

During the Ministerial meeting which took place on 9th December, 2020, Honourable Eisenhower Nduwa Mkaka, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe for hosting the 10th Session of the MW/ZIM JPCC meeting, in response to the ordinance of their Excellencies President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and President Cd. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

Furthermore, Honourable Mkaka expressed satisfaction over the completion and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Small Medium Enterprise (SME), and the review of new areas of cooperation. He further commended both parties for proposing socio-economic development legal instruments for the Malawi and Zimbabwe economies.

In his remarks, Honourable Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Dr. S.B. Moyo expressed the need for both countries to expedite the conclusion of the enabling legal instruments such as the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, the MoU on the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises and, the new proposed areas of cooperation that were negotiated during the meetings.

Honourable Moyo further encouraged the delegates to strengthen and deepen the two countries’ bilateral relations as they are a pre-requisite for sustainable economic development and vital for successful integration processes in the SADC region and on the African continent.

The two Ministers recognised the significance of the private sector in promoting trade and investment between Malawi and Zimbabwe. The Ministers then encouraged Trade and investment agencies of the two countries namely; Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) and ZIMTRADE to strengthen their working relations by concluding the bilateral cooperation agreement.

Furthermore, the two Ministers encouraged the creation of Business forums by private sector organisations in order to expedite trade and investment cooperation between the private sector of the two neighbouring countries.

The Two Countries agreed to hold the 11th Session of the MW/ZIM JPCC in Malawi in 2022 on dates and
venue to be communicated through diplomatic channels.