By MICHAEL CHAWE

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Angola and Zambia have agreed to waive visa requirements for their citizens traveling between the two countries.

The agreement was announced after the Angolan President Joao Lourenco was in Zambia for a two-day state visit.

Zambia Foreign Affairs minister Joe Malanji told journalists that the move was part of the several agreements signed to boost bilateral ties and economies.

President Lourenco held talks with his Zambian host Edgar Lungu at State House in Lusaka.

Railway line

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral agreements to strengthen trade and development cooperation.

The Angolan head of state later visited the Steel Manufacturing Plant south of Lusaka, before his departure Thursday afternoon.

Zambia and Angola have been envisaging to build a common railway line to boost their two economies.

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Zambia also plans to open a refinery near its border to process crude oil imports from Angola.

Zambia has recently smoothed its relations with her western neighbour after they were rattled under the Fredrick Chiluba regime over his controversial support for Jonas Savimbi.

Dr Savimbi was the founding leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita), which fought a 27-year civil war with the Angolan government. Unita is now the main opposition party in Angola.

Civil conflicts

The controversial but charismatic leader was killed in battle against the ruling MPLA government forces on February 22, 2002 in Lucusse region.

His death paved the way for a peace deal that would bring an end to one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil conflicts, which erupted after independence from Portugal in 1975.

The war left at least half a million people dead and some four million civilians displaced in the oil-rich nation.