Songwe – Tanzania and Zambia have signed a bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening the international border between the two neighboring countries, both members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The agreement was finalized following a five-day Joint Technical Committee (JTC) meeting held in Tunduma, located in Tanzania’s Songwe Region.
The discussions brought together technical experts from both countries to develop a strategic plan for reinforcing the boundary.
The agreement was signed by Mr. Hamdouny Mansour, Director of Survey and Mapping at Tanzania’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, and Mr. Kelvin Chibangula, Assistant Chief Surveyor and head of the Zambian technical delegation.
Following the signing, Mr. Mansour reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to the joint initiative.“During the five-day meeting, our experts collaborated closely to generate proposals, prepare a comprehensive budget, and develop a roadmap for strengthening our international border,” he said.
Mr. Chibangula echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the strong diplomatic ties and mutual cooperation between the two countries.
“This meeting reflects not only technical collaboration but also the spirit of good neighborliness and solid diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Zambia,” he stated.
As part of the JTC’s activities, delegates conducted a field visit along the Tanzania-Zambia border, starting from boundary marker B588, located on Mount Nankugulu in Ileje District the tri-border point connecting Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi.
The Tanzania-Zambia boundary extends approximately 345 kilometers, including 100 kilometers on an island, 189 kilometers along the Kalambo River, and 56 kilometers along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
The field visit enabled the committee to gather critical data needed to draft a detailed budget and action plan for the border-strengthening initiative.
This effort aligns with the African Union’s directive for all African borders to be clearly demarcated and reinforced by the year 2027, a goal aimed at promoting peace, security, and regional integration across the continent.
Source Daily News