State committed to cross border relations

State committed to cross border relations

Lusaka, July 16, ZANIS—Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Wilbur Simusa has reaffirmed government’s commitment towards strengthening cross border relations.

Speaking today when he officially opened the midterm review workshop for Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania International Boundaries in Siavonga at Lake Safari Lodge Mr. Simusa said the conference will enable countries propagate the good and cordial relations that countries have enjoyed.

Mr. Simusa said the demarcation and reaffirmation of boundaries will guarantee peaceful Co-existence of nations living in boarder areas.

He observed that a well delimited, demarcated and reaffirmed boarder can be used as factor for peace, security, economic and social development.

He said the Zambia government like other governments represented at the conference is looking at ways through which border conflicts can be resolved adding that people are so expectant of the positive resolutions that will come from the conference.

The Minister said Zambia like many other countries has been faced with boarder conflicts especially in the area of trade and access to resources.

He said the Patriotic Front government is agreeable to the fact that trade and movement regulations should be harmonized among African countries in order to strengthen co-existence of people in border towns.

Mr. Simusa however thanked Zambia and Malawi technical team for successfully implementing the mapping and demarcation of about 650 kilometer stretch with permanent beacons.

Meanwhile, Zambia Surveyor General Danny Mubanga says the midterm review workshop for boundaries reaffirmation program is one at which participating nations are looking at means of easing trade and access to social resources.

Mr. Mubanga said the workshop is aiming at turning boarder conflicts into bridges to development.

He said the conference has been tasked to establish boarder boundaries and avert sources of conflicts among neighbouring countries.

He stated that the participating countries want to come up with measures that will enable free movement across borders and allow people to have access to resources among boarder countries.

He cited examples of the recent happenings in Zambia specifically Siavonga where fishermen are usually held hostage once found fishing in the neighbouring Tanzanian waters.

The conference which has been sponsored by the African Union Boarder Programme (AUBP) and GID steams from the resolution African countries agreed to in July 2002 at the Assembly of African Heads of state held in Durban, South Africa.