Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (L, Front) welcomes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (R, Front) in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 17, 2018. Zimbabwe and South Africa on Saturday pledged to deepen cooperation particularly in the economic field. (Xinhua/Wanda)

HARARE, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe and South Africa on Saturday pledged to deepen cooperation particularly in the economic field.

Visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa said this during a press conference soon after their meeting in Harare.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe wants to strengthen infrastructure development cooperation with South Africa, particularly in roads, rail and energy.

"Our economy is down. We also need electricity from SA," the president said.

Ramaphosa said South Africa and Zimbabwe will continue to work together to overcome economic challenges they face.

"This was a great opportunity to confirm that South Africa and Zimbabwe are joined at the hip and are going to continue finding clever ways of growing our respective economies and cooperating on matters of trade and finding various projects that we can work together on," Ramaphosa said.

He said his visit was also to pay respects to Mnangagwa after he became president last month. He visited Mozambique earlier in the day on a similar mission.

On the issue of land, Ramaphosa said South Africa will learn from Zimbabwe and other countries in the world that have carried out land reforms.

The South African government has announced that it will carry out a land reform program to expropriate white-owned land without compensation.

Ramaphosa said the country will carry out extensive debate and dialogue on the issue until it matures to a very firm position which will then be adopted by parliament.

He expressed optimism that the land issue will be resolved in a manner that will unite the nation.