Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Hon Advocate Felix Tapiwa Mhona has said Zimbabwe is ready to work with all progressive forces to ensure inland transport is safer, greener, and more resilient.
Speaking at the 88th session of the United Nations Inland Transport Committee taking place at the Palais des Nations, Minister Mhona reaffirmed the country’s commitment to adopting international good practices and standards in line with global transport transformation.
“Zimbabwe is committed to cooperation under the United Nations system and to the adoption of international good practices and standards on all matters under the purview of the ITC. Zimbabwe joins the United Nations family in shaping the attendant discourse, underpinned by critical innovations and automation in the inland transport sector,” said Hon Mhona.
He added that multilateral engagement remains central to the foreign policy of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s administration.
Minister Mhona highlighted the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modernising Zimbabwe’s transport systems, noting that technology is already being deployed to enhance safety, efficiency and sustainability.
“While Zimbabwe still has more to accomplish, considerable milestones have been made in the application of AI, solar-enabled traffic management systems, automated cashless ‘tap and go’ ticketing, as well as GPS-based vehicle tracking,” he said.
He said the country is also leveraging intelligent camera systems for automated enforcement, real-time data analytics for fleet management, and digital ride-hailing platforms designed to ease congestion and modernise logistics.
A key development, according to the minister, is the introduction of an Integrated Transport Management Information System, which has shifted operations away from paper-based processes by integrating vehicle registration, licensing and inspection data into a single digital platform to improve transparency and service delivery.
Minister Mhona is leading Zimbabwe’s delegation to the Geneva meeting, which includes Ambassador Ever Mlilo, ministry legal advisor Advocate Kingston Magaya, and representatives from the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, among other senior Government officials.
Zimbabwe’s participation signals its intention to align national transport policies with global standards while strengthening regional and international cooperation to build a modern, technology-driven inland transport system.
The high-level meeting, running under the theme “Driving Innovation for the Future of Inland Transport,” brings together policymakers and experts to explore innovation, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence in the sector.
Story by Jeremiah Gora
