Zambia, Zimbabwe Strengthen Energy Security Cooperation
Zambia and Zimbabwe have reaffirmed their joint commitment to strategic power generation and transmission investments aimed at strengthening energy security, improving system resilience, and deepening regional integration.
Zambia’s Minister of Energy and Chairperson of the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Council of Ministers, Mr Makozo Chikote, MP, said the two countries were intensifying collaboration on key energy infrastructure projects in response to climate-related challenges that have negatively affected hydropower generation at the Kariba Complex.
Mr Chikote was speaking at the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ZRA Council of Ministers held at Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls.
He identified the proposed 2,400MW Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme as a priority bilateral investment, describing it as a transformative project with the potential to drive industrialisation, job creation, and economic growth in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Minister urged the Zambezi River Authority to accelerate implementation by executing project milestones in parallel, in line with directives from the two Heads of State.
Mr Chikote also emphasised the importance of strengthening regional transmission infrastructure, highlighting the Zimbabwe–Zambia–Botswana–Namibia (ZIZABONA) Phase I Project. He said the project would provide an alternative power wheeling route between Zambia and Zimbabwe, address existing transmission constraints, and enhance electricity trading under the Southern African Power Pool.
On infrastructure sustainability, the Minister announced continued progress on the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project. He noted that plunge pool reshaping was completed in 2024, Spillway Refurbishment Phase I was finalised in November 2025, and Phase II works have reached 30 per cent completion.
He described the rehabilitation programme as a critical investment to safeguard the long-term structural integrity and operational safety of the Kariba Dam.
In support of Zambia’s energy diversification agenda, Mr Chikote welcomed backing from the African Development Bank, including a US$1 million allocation for feasibility studies into a floating solar photovoltaic plant on Lake Kariba. He said the project would complement hydropower generation and strengthen energy resilience amid increasing climate variability.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Energy and Power Development and incoming Chairperson of the ZRA Council of Ministers, Mr July Moyo, MP, commended the Zambezi River Authority for its prudent management of the shared water resource despite challenging hydrological conditions.
Mr Moyo praised the strong bilateral partnership between Zambia and Zimbabwe, noting that joint planning and cooperation have been central to addressing energy challenges and sustaining electricity supply in both countries.
Mr Chikote reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, to deepening cooperation with Zimbabwe to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy that supports economic growth and regional development.
At the meeting, Zambia formally handed over the Chairpersonship of the Zambezi River Authority Council of Ministers to Zimbabwe.
