Zimbabwe, Mozambique parliaments sign MoU to advance economic independence

The parliaments of Zimbabwe and Mozambique have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen legislative cooperation as the two countries pursue economic independence.

The agreement was signed on Monday following a meeting between Zimbabwean Parliament Speaker Jacob Mudenda and his Mozambican counterpart, Margarida Adamugi Talapa.

Talapa said the agreement would strengthen ties between the two legislatures and ensure that lawmakers focus on advancing the interests of their respective populations.

“The main impact of this signing of the memorandum is that we want to strengthen the ties between our parliaments, mainly in our job as legislative bodies,” Talapa said.

“We represent the interests of our people. We will see what kind of laws should we pass, that should go according to the interests of the people.”

Talapa said Mozambique and Zimbabwe were “on the same path in order to achieve economic independence.”

“We have all the political independence which was made through the liberation struggle, but today more than ever, we need to unite ourselves and all fight for economic independence, for creation of better conditions for our people,” she said.

“This will be done through this cooperation between the parliaments,” Talapa added.

The MoU comes as the two countries seek to deepen SADC integration and align legislation to support trade, investment and development.

Mudenda echoed Talapa’s sentiments, saying Africa needed to pursue economic independence because political independence alone had not been sufficient to deliver development.

“We attained our political independence, but we are yet to attain total economic independence. That is why we must rally behind Agenda 2063, which seeks to bring the whole of Africa to think and act act towards economic independence,” Mudenda said during Monday’s meeting.

A Mozambican parliamentary delegation accompanied Talapa during her visit to Harare.

She is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa this Wednesday.