By Business Reporter-The President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, Thursday boycotted a summit hosted by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and sent his Tourism Minister, Rodney Sikumba, to represent him. 

The Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Summit, which is currently ongoing in Harare, is also being attended by the President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi. 

Nyusi arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Thursday morning for the meeting.

Hichilema’s decision to avoid the Harare summit may stem from the deteriorating diplomatic ties between Harare and Lusaka. Recently, while in Russia, Mnangagwa accused Hichilema of posing a regional security risk due to his associations with the United States and other Western governments. 

This accusation prompted Lusaka to summon Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Zambia, Charity Charamba, seeking an explanation for Mnangagwa’s comments.

The background to this animosity traces back to the historically tense relations between the two leaders, exacerbated by differing political alignments and external influences. 

Mnangagwa, who has faced widespread criticism for his governance and human rights record, has often taken a confrontational stance towards Western nations, contrasting with Hichilema’s more open and collaborative approach with these countries.

The ZIMOZA TFCA event follows the Kavango Transfrontier Conservation Area summit held in Zambia recently.

The ZIMOZA TFCA agreement aims to:

• Provide a tool to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Become the sixth initiative in the region involving Zimbabwe.
• Cover wildlife corridors home to lions, elephants, buffaloes, and other animals.
• Reflect the unity of communities living in these areas, which are divided by borders but share a common culture and history.
• Demonstrate Zimbabwe’s commitment to delivering on the set targets established by the agreement.
• Advocate for a holistic approach to address the challenge of human-wildlife conflict.
• Highlight the far-reaching consequences of drought on wildlife, agriculture, and water systems.

The ZIMOZA TFCA is a significant step towards regional conservation efforts, despite the diplomatic friction overshadowing the summit.