Ramaphosa Chairs Bilateral Summit; South Africa, Zimbabwe Target Trade Imbalance Fixes

South Africa’s Bi-National Commission with Zimbabwe, convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Friday, placed structural trade imbalances and development finance at the centre of its Fourth Session agenda. The gathering, which brings together heads of state and their respective delegations, is the primary institutional mechanism through which both governments coordinate their strategic partnership and implement bilateral commitments.

The session’s most pressing accountability question was a trade asymmetry that has persisted despite strong overall growth. Over the past four years, bilateral commerce has nearly doubled, yet South Africa continues to export significantly more to Zimbabwe than it receives in return. Ramaphosa called on both governments to use existing bilateral mechanisms and the opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area to correct this imbalance and expand the volume of goods flowing in both directions.

Mineral beneficiation and energy cooperation were identified as areas where coordinated policy could unlock economic value. Ramaphosa noted Zimbabwe’s expanding production of gold, platinum and critical minerals including lithium, positioning the country as an emerging global participant in those sectors. Both nations, he observed, have long articulated the principle that minerals should be processed domestically rather than exported in raw form. He called for converting that stated policy aspiration into concrete joint practice.

Infrastructure investment emerged as a clear institutional priority. Ramaphosa pointed to the readiness of two South African development finance institutions, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation, to finance high-impact projects in Zimbabwe. Those projects, he explained, would connect factories and farms to markets, link power stations to businesses and homes, and integrate water infrastructure with end-use systems. The framing was deliberate: physical connectivity as the foundation of regional economic integration, not an afterthought to it.

Water management and food security received particular attention given their intersection with climate resilience. Ramaphosa cited an existing agreement under which Zimbabwe would supply water from its Beitbridge Water Works to Musina as a working model of bilateral problem-solving. He urged expanded cooperation on agricultural production, arguing that intensified use of arable land and support for both communal and commercial farmers would strengthen the region’s capacity to withstand accelerating climate change and recurring droughts.

Border governance also featured prominently. Ramaphosa stressed the need to modernize border management systems and facilities to facilitate the movement of people and goods, while strengthening joint efforts against trans-border crime. These measures, he indicated, are essential to realizing the economic potential of the relationship.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa situated the bilateral partnership within a broader regional security framework. He expressed concern about ongoing conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, Madagascar, South Sudan and the Sahel, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. In an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical environment, he argued, peaceful conflict resolution and African-led mediation had become more critical to the continent’s development, not less.

Ramaphosa also congratulated Zimbabwe on its election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term. He expressed the expectation that Zimbabwe would use the position to focus international attention on conflicts impeding African progress and to support African-led resolution efforts.

The Bi-National Commission, established in April 2015, has produced more than 33 agreements and memoranda of understanding across multiple sectors. The Fourth Session concluded with the signing of additional agreements aimed at expanding cooperation in strategic areas. Ramaphosa framed the relationship as one rooted in shared history and a common future, and he was direct about expectations: both countries’ populations, he said, expect the commission to deliver concrete results. Whether the new agreements translate into measurable shifts in trade flows and infrastructure delivery will be the measure by which this session is ultimately judged.