JOINT COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE JOINT MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE KAZUNGULA BRIDGE PROJECT THAT WAS HELD IN LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA ON 22ND MARCH 2024
1. The Joint Ministerial Committee meeting of the Kazungula Bridge Project was held in Livingstone, Zambia on 22nd March 2024.
2. The delegation from the Republic of Botswana was led by the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Hon. Eric Mothibi Molale, MP and he was accompanied by senior Government officials.
3. The delegation from the Republic of Zambia was led by the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Eng. Charles Lubasi Milupi, MP and was accompanied by senior Government officials.
4. In their opening remarks, the two Ministers underscored the existing good relations between the Member States and expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of negotiations on the Agreement to establish the Kazungula Bridge Authority, which when it becomes operational will take lead in the operations and maintenance as well as development of additional infrastructure of the Bridge and associated facilities.
5. During the course of the discussions, the Joint Ministerial Committee:
i. Considered and approved the Bilateral Agreement on the establishment of the Kazungula Bridge Authority (KBA) for signing during the Heads of State summit scheduled for 26th – 27th March 2024 in Livingstone, Zambia;
ii. Approved the KBA organizational structure as proposed by the Joint Steering Committee;
iii. Approved to sign the Addendum No.2 to the Sponsors Agreement during the Heads of State summit scheduled for 26th – 27th March 2024 in Livingstone, Zambia;
iv. Considered and approved that the Guidelines on Tourism and Events on the Kazungula Bridge be signed during the Heads of State summit scheduled for 26th – 27th March 2024 in Livingstone, Zambia;
v. Approved the financing of the proposed improvements to the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) Access and Bridge Approach Roads under Addendum No.2 to the Sponsors’ Agreement;
vi. Approved the proposal to refer the issue on additional infrastructure to attract tourists to the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC) for action; and
vii. Took note of the exercise for Bridge infrastructure risk assessment scheduled 9th – 10th March. Instructed the Project Office and Executing Agencies to expedite the process and break it down into activities to achieve the milestone;
viii. Reviewed and reaffirmed the road-map on the Establishment of KBA, which was approved in their previous meeting that was held on 22nd February 2024 in Gaborone, Botswana;
ix. Took note that the legal teams committed to meet from 15th to 19th April 2024 to finalise the Hosting Agreement; and
x. Took note of the handover of the OSBP Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment to the Lead Border Agencies, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), in line with the JMC’s approval in their previous meeting.
6. In his closing remarks Hon. Eric Mothibi Molale, MP expressed gratitude to the Government of Zambia for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. Hon. Eng. Charles Lubasi Milupi, MP, Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Zambia, thanked the technocrats from the Member States for completing the task in record time, which was given by the two Heads of State when they met in Kasane in January 2024 during the Presidential working visit.
7. The two Parties agreed to hold the next session of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) in June 2024 in Botswana.
Done at Livingstone on 22nd March 2024.
