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Zuma urges Zimbabwe leaders to maintain peace

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President Jacob Zuma has urged Zimbabwe’s leaders to ensure the maintenance of peace and security as they grapple to resolve their political differences.

He was speaking during the meeting with his Botswana counterpart Seretse Khama Ian Khama in Gaborone earlier on Friday.

The two leaders co-chaired the 4th South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission which seeks to strengthen trade relations between the two sister republics.

President Zuma is in a bid to strengthen political and trade and investment relations between Pretoria and Gaborone.

But talks with his Botswana counterpart were dominated by the unfolding political crisis in Zimbabwe.

The military in Zimbabwe has placed President Robert Mugabe under house arrest since Tuesday even though he did attend the University of Zimbabwe’s graduation ceremony on Friday.

And Presidents Zuma and Khama are hoping for a peaceful resolution to that country’s political impasse.

President Jacob Zuma says: “We note with great concern the unfolding political developments in Zimbabwe and hope that they would not lead to unconstitutional change of government. We urge all parties to ensure the maintenance of peace and security as enshrined in the constitution is not compromised. As SADC, in keeping with our established protocols and processes, we stand ready to provide necessary help to resolve the current political impasse.”

President Khama on the other hand says he is confident that Zimbabweans will overcome their differences.

With 38 bilateral agreements signed between South Africa and Botswana in different fields, both leaders called for the prioritisation of economic projects that will translate into job creation, poverty alleviation and improving the living conditions of their nations.

President Zuma also said they need to fast-track implementation of all the agreements citing an agreement which hasn’t been fully implemented since it’s signing over a decade ago.

“The BNC has thus provided the momentum in strengthening our relations as demonstrated by over 30 agreements and MOU. We should now prioritise the implementation of the legal and enabling instruments.”

The president also used the occasion to bid farewell to President Khama who will be stepping down in March next year after serving two terms as provided by his country’s constitution.

President Zuma says there is a lot that SADC leaders and the rest of the continent have learnt from Khama’s leadership.

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