Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe and Belarus have reaffirmed their growing strategic alliance during the Mid-Term Review of the Zimbabwe–Belarus Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC), which kicked off in Harare on Monday.
The three-day session is focused on reviewing the implementation of previously signed agreements, evaluating progress in bilateral cooperation, and identifying challenges hindering the full realisation of joint initiatives.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chief Director for Political Affairs in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Pearson Chigiji, emphasised the strength of the political foundation between the two countries.
“The close relationship that exists between our leaders, their Excellencies President Emmerson Mnangagwa and President Aleksandr Lukashenko, is the bedrock upon which the Zimbabwe–Belarus partnership is built,” he said.
Chigiji urged delegates to move beyond formal agreements and ensure concrete results on the ground.
“We must seize this rare opportunity to engage at a strategic level. It is through such engagements that we will chart a path towards tangible and mutually beneficial cooperation. Our discussions must lead to implementation. Otherwise, our deliberations risk becoming hollow,” he said.
The Zimbabwe–Belarus partnership has deepened since the establishment of the Second Republic, with a clear pivot toward economic diplomacy, particularly in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
One of the most visible outcomes of this partnership is the Joint Agricultural Mechanisation Facility Programme, now in its third phase, which is facilitating the delivery of Belarusian-made equipment to Zimbabwean farmers.
Representing Belarus, Head of the Department of Africa and the Middle East, Yuri Nikolaychik, highlighted the symbolic timing of the meeting taking place just before Zimbabwe’s 45th Independence Day and Belarus’ 80th commemoration of victory over fascism in World War II. He underscored how the partnership extends from heads of state to grassroots cooperation.
“The most important result achieved so far has been the start of equipment supplies under the third phase of the mechanisation programme,” he said.
Beyond agriculture, the JPCC provides a platform to broaden collaboration across infrastructure development, education, health, and science.
The ongoing review signals a shared desire by both countries to maintain momentum and deepen their relationship.
Frequent high-level exchanges between Presidents Mnangagwa and Lukashenko have further anchored the partnership, creating a framework for long-term cooperation.
As the JPCC continues, both sides are expected to expand discussions into emerging areas of mutual interest, ensuring that the partnership evolves with global and domestic priorities alike.
The JPCC’s mid-term review is not just a diplomatic checkpoint; it is a sign of maturing bilateral relations built on shared interests and a vision for sustainable development.
