Gaborone, Botswana: Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi have announced their decision to eliminate passport requirements for travel between their two countries.
The move, which will be finalized by officials from both nations, aligns with their vision for a unified Africa where borders are not barriers to free movement.
“From now on, we shall instruct our officials that there shall be no question of how to enter Zimbabwe, how to enter Botswana,” Mnangagwa declared during the Kusi Ideas Festival in Gaborone, drawing cheers from the audience.
He further emphasized the shared African identity and the need to break down artificial borders imposed during colonial times.
“We were all living together, then the global north came and made boundaries, where the family’s kitchen became on the other side of the border,” Mnangagwa said. “So why should we continue to respect this? Let us open the borders among ourselves and move freely.”
While Botswana boasts a stable economy and a strong GDP, Zimbabwe has faced significant political and economic challenges in recent years. The open border policy raises questions about how the two countries will manage the potential influx of migrants from Zimbabwe.
Botswana has already implemented a similar arrangement with Namibia, allowing citizens of both countries to use their national IDs for cross-border travel and tourism stays of up to 90 days. The success of this agreement could pave the way for a more seamless and integrated regional economy in Southern Africa.
