LUSAKA – Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema will make a State Visit to Zimbabwe on Friday, 14 November 2025, at the invitation of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, marking his first official bilateral visit to Harare since assuming office.
The visit is being hailed as a significant step towards restoring warm relations between the two neighbouring countries, which became strained in 2023 following critical remarks by SADC election observers led by former Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba, who said “some aspects” of Zimbabwe’s elections did not meet democratic standards.
According to a statement from Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Presidents Hichilema and Mnangagwa will co-chair the inaugural session of the Zambia–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) — a new platform that upgrades the existing Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) to a higher level of strategic engagement.
The BNC is expected to foster collaboration in infrastructure development, trade, energy, agriculture, and mining, among other key sectors. It will also serve as a mechanism for the two nations to coordinate joint projects and deepen economic integration.
The BNC session will be preceded by a meeting of senior officials on 12 November and ministerial consultations on 13 November, laying the groundwork for agreements to be signed by the two Heads of State.
The Ministry said the visit reflects the “deep and enduring bonds of friendship, shared history, and mutual prosperity” between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also aligns with President Hichilema’s broader foreign policy vision to promote regional peace, stability, and economic transformation through diplomacy.
President Hichilema is expected to return to Lusaka immediately after concluding his engagements in Harare.
The statement was signed by Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, on 12 November 2025.
