Pretoria - South Africa and Zambia have increased their scope of cooperation by signing new agreements in environmental management and natural resources.
President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday that the agreements would not only benefit the two countries, but Africa as a whole. They would assist in the eradication of poverty.
Zuma was speaking during a state banquet in honour of Zambian President Rupiah Banda, who is in the country for a two-day state visit aimed at discussing economic cooperation.
South Africa is Zambia's largest exporter. Zuma acknowledged the importance of increasing trade and bilateral relations.
"Such warm historical ties must translate into stronger economic, social and developmental relations between our two countries," said Zuma.
Last year alone, the two countries signed six agreements on energy, agriculture, health, trade, mining and diplomatic consultations.
Zuma said this was a good foundation on which to work together to fight poverty and ensure economic growth and development in both countries.
"Future generations must see and enjoy the fruits of these historical relations," added Zuma, who described Zambia as SA's second home.
Zambia was home to scores of South Africans during the struggle for liberation.
The two Presidents will later this morning visit the Adelaide Tambo Development Centre in Benoni as part of part of commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The two will also lay wreaths on the tombstones of the late ANC President OR Tambo and his wife, Adelaide. They will later address a business forum, which is organised to promote trade and investment between the two countries.
Zuma and President Banda have also called for sanctions against Zimbabwe to be dropped.
The European Union, United States, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand have refused to lift visa and financial sanctions against Mugabe and his top officials, imposed eight years ago as punishment for allegedly stealing elections, human rights violations and failure to uphold the rule of law.
The two leaders, who are at the fore of regional efforts to end Zimbabwe's long running political crisis, said the sanctions were an obstacle to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.
Zuma is the Southern African Development Community (SADC) official mediator in talks between Zimbabwe's three ruling political parties, while Banda chairs the region's special organ on security that oversees the mediation effort.
A SADC troika would meet to discuss Zimbabwe in January.
