Zimbabwe’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Hon. Felix Tapiwa Mhona, is heading a high‑level delegation to the 34th Session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly, the UN’s maritime agency, which runs from 24 November to 3 December 2025.
In the afternoon session yesterday, Minister Mhona joined fellow ministers to address the gathering, praising IMO’s leadership in promoting safe, secure, environmentally sound, and sustainable global shipping.
Hon Mhona reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to IMO conventions, noting that the country has integrated maritime and shipping objectives into its national transport and infrastructure plans.
He highlighted Zimbabwe’s regulation of several inland water bodies that support tourism, water‑borne transport, fishing, and energy projects, and said the nation is drafting a comprehensive Merchant Shipping law to align with IMO standards.
“Zimbabwe is working on a robust programme to discard the land‑locked status and adopt a land‑linked status,” Hon Mhona said, adding that the country is now a member of the Maritime Organization for Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa (MOESNA), which aims to become a regional maritime and logistics hub.
The Minister also underscored the importance of regional cooperation, pointing to Zimbabwe’s reliance on ports such as Beira, Maputo, Durban, Dar es Salaam, and Walvis Bay.
He called for increased collaboration with IMO on technology transfer, capacity building, and financing mechanisms to support developing nations.
His address aligned with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of transforming Zimbabwe into a “Prosperous and Empowered Upper‑Middle Income Society by 2030,” emphasizing that Zimbabwe is “open for business” and ready to engage within the IMO framework.
The delegation accompanying Minister Mhona includes Zimbabwe’s Charge d’Affaires to the UK, Mr. Levi Mukono, senior officials from the Ministry of Transport, the National Handling Services (which operates dry ports), and representatives from the aviation sector participating in the Joint Working Group on harmonization of aeronautical and maritime search‑and‑rescue.
The IMO Assembly, the highest governing body of the organization, comprises 176 member states and meets biennially to approve the agency’s budget, set its work programme, and adopt resolutions.
This year’s session is expected to shape the future of global maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
TheVhayeya.com to the World.
Story by Jeremiah Gora
