GOVERNMENT will introduce the e-passport system at its Embassy in Botswana in the first quarter of next year, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said.
He stated that the new system will cut passport processing times significantly.
“I am glad to inform you that the government will install the e-Passport System here at the Embassy in the first quarter of next year,” Chiwenga said during a high-level meeting with Zimbabwean business leaders in Botswana.
“This will mean that, as long as your documents are in order, you will now be able to apply for and collect your passports within seven working days.”
In a related effort to ease regional mobility, the government is also working with Botswana to transform the Plumtree Border Post into a one-stop facility.
As an interim measure, authorities are working to extend the border's operating hours to alleviate congestion and reduce waiting times during peak periods.
Zimbabweans living abroad are vital to the national economy, with remittances surging to US$1.9 billion between January and September 2024—a 16.5 percent increase from the same period last year.
The community in Botswana constitutes a significant portion of this contribution.
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Chiwenga called on Zimbabweans in Botswana to leverage their skills and capital for investment opportunities back home.
Business leaders at the event praised the government's dialogue as constructive.
“It was highly engaging and very promising. From here on, it is about action,” said Botswana Tourism and Hospitality Executive, Ms. Sihle Thabani Mpofu.
Civil engineering consultant, Engineer Ignatius Gangaidzo, emphasized the importance of follow-through, stating that restoring confidence is key as Zimbabwe continues to position itself as "open for business" and partners with its diaspora for national development.
