Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has accepted an invitation from Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ding Zhou to visit Beijing for the China-Africa Ministerial Workshop on State Governance.

Mafume says the trip will enable him to study the Chinese capital’s approach to street lighting, road standards and city organisation with a view to replicating it in Zimbabwe’s struggling capital.

The Mayor announced the visit in a social media post on Monday, describing himself as “excited and honored” to make the trip, and citing the Chinese proverb that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

“As a concerned mayor, I am here to observe how other cities and residents improve their streets and daily life,” Mafume wrote. “It’s not always easy, but we will work hard to get there.”

The visit comes as Harare grapples with decaying infrastructure, perpetual traffic congestion and a permanent scarcity of commercial and administrative workspace that has pushed municipal management costs steadily higher.

The city has also faced chronic water shortages and sewage management challenges, with Harare City Council recently agreeing to a US$237 million partnership with Chinese firm Sinohydro to build four new sewage treatment plants and upgrade existing ones .

Mafume framed the trip as part of his administration’s commitment to respond to residents’ concerns, stating: “As City of Harare, we have heard the cries of our people. This visit is part of our commitment to respond and improve Harare for everyone.”

The workshop follows a broader pattern of deepening Zimbabwe-China urban development collaboration. Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube recently held high-level discussions in Beijing with China State Construction Engineering Corporation to advance the Mt Hampden New City project, a flagship smart city development anchored by a Chinese-funded Parliament Building.

Chinese firms have also led the rollout of AI-powered traffic surveillance systems in Harare and Bulawayo under the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 programme, with companies including Huawei and Hikvision providing technology for automated number plate recognition, speed monitoring and red-light violation detection .

Chinese state media has highlighted broader China-Africa governance cooperation, with the African Union’s representative to China noting that African nations seek deeper partnerships beyond primary commodity exports. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and African countries .

Mafume’s delegation is expected to study Beijing’s approach to street lighting, pavement standards and urban organisation, areas where Harare has faced persistent challenges. The Mayor’s office has not yet confirmed the dates of the visit or the full composition of the delegation.