Zambia and Botswana Monday inaugurated a newly-built bridge linking the two countries to boost bilateral and regional trade.

The $260 million Kazungula Bridge jointly commissioned by Zambian President Edgar Lungu and his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi also comes with a one stop border infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries and the entire southern African region.

Lungu said the bridge was a monumental effort linking Zambia internally and externally to ease the movement of goods and services.

“I have held talks with my counterpart in Botswana that this project must run daily up to 22 hours as soon as possible and you the technocrats must not play ping-pong with us after making these public pronouncements,” Lungu said at Kazungula, south of the country Monday.

Masisi said his country regarded Zambia as a key strategic partner in development, adding the iconic project was a demonstration of the continued growing relations.

He said the route was historic as it was used as a safe exit during the struggle for independence.

The event was also witnessed by African Union (AU) Chairperson and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi.

Zambia and the DRC are in the process of putting up a similar facility on their border.

Other dignitaries to witness the event were Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson and Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Also present were Namibia Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba and Eswatini Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku.

Tshisekedi said the project was in tandem with the AU goals and priority areas for Agenda 2063 which called for a prosperous Africa, based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Nyusi added that the project was in line with the SADC infrastructure development master plan.

Mnangagwa congratulated Botswana and Zambia for a milestone project, reiterating that his country will also join the project.

Lungu and Masisi also separately opened the one-stop border facilities on either side of their countries.

The 923-meter long rail and road bridge in Kazungula is a bilateral project between Zambia and Botswana, co-financed by the two governments.

The bridge across the Zambezi River is expected to boost trade and commerce between the two countries and increase economic activities and prospects of other countries in the SADC region such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, DRC and Mozambique./aa