By Elishamai Alouis Ziumbwa
Government officials and development partners have convened for a national workshop aimed at addressing the economic and logistical challenges faced by Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) with a focus on turning data into actionable policy to reduce trade and transport costs.
Permanent Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Joy Makumbe opened the workshop by highlighting the unique hurdles faced by countries without direct access to the sea.
“The lack of direct access increases transport costs, reduces competitiveness, and limits participation in global trade,” she said noting that many LLDCs also face constraints in energy, digital connectivity, and climate resilience.
Makumbe highlighted the importance of integrating data across sectors, including transport, trade, energy, education and the environment.
“Data alone does not change lives. Policies do. Evidence must be transformed into actionable, context-specific solutions that respond to the realities of each country and community,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary urged government ministries, state institutions, the private sector, regional bodies such as the SADC Secretariat and development partners to collaborate in strengthening Zimbabwe’s data ecosystems.
She highlighted ongoing border modernisation and infrastructure projects as vital to reducing bottlenecks and improving trade efficiency.
In remarks delivered by Innocent Madziva on behalf of UN Resident Coordinator Edward Kallon, the UN called for evidence-based decision-making to tackle the challenges of landlockedness.
“Every kilometer to the ports of Beira, Durban, or Walvis Bay is not just a measure of distance, but a tally of challenges: transit fees, border delays, cumbersome paperwork and the ever-present risk of spoilage and missed opportunities,” Kallon said.
He noted that transport costs for LLDCs can be up to 75% higher than for coastal nations, affecting farmers, miners, and manufacturers.
Kallon said the workshop, aligned with the Awaza Programme of Action (2024–2034), would enable stakeholders to move from recognizing these problems to developing practical solutions, including improving corridor management, prioritising infrastructure investments and embracing digital trade facilitation systems.
Both Engineer Makumbe and Kallon highlighted the importance of partnerships and regional cooperation.
“The ‘silo mentality’ does not bear results. No country, and no institution, can do this alone,” Makumbe said.
Kallon added that the success of the workshop would be measured not just in discussions but in tangible outcomes: faster and cheaper export of goods, improved supply chains and enhanced competitiveness for Zimbabwean businesses.
The workshop also aims to equip policymakers with tools such as the ESCAP-World Bank Trade Cost Database, the Time/Cost-Distance Model, and the Border Performance Index to identify bottlenecks and make informed decisions.
“This is our collective task: to move from diagnosis to prescription. Let us commit to building a Zimbabwe where our landlocked status is not a barrier, but a catalyst for regional integration, logistical innovation, and economic resilience,” Kallon said.
The two-day workshop brings together government officials, technical experts, researchers and private sector representatives to chart a path for data-driven transport and trade policies that could transform Zimbabwe’s landlocked disadvantage into an opportunity for regional leadership.
