The committee was formed in line with two agreements on the promotion of trade and investment, signed and ratified by both countries.

Trade volumes between the two countries are said to be mainly in the informal sector, which is hardly recorded.

During two days of discussions, the Namibian delegation led by the Acting Minister of Trade and Industry, Erkki Nghimtina, held discussions with their Angolan counterparts headed by their Minister of Commerce, Dr Joaquim Icuma Muafumba.

Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Andrew Ndishishi said one of the provisions of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement was for the establishment of a joint trade committee to facilitate the implementation of the agreement.

Approached for comment, Tarah Shaanika, head of Namibia's biggest private-sector organisation, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the initiative but said more needed to be done to ensure that Namibian goods become competitive on the Angolan market.

He said for trade volumes to increase, red tape had to be done away with and the stagnation at border posts also had to be tackled.

Shaanika said people felt it was easier to conduct business on an individual basis due to these hindrances.

"We welcome the agreement.

This should see trade - especially in manufacturing - increase between the two countries since it will pave the way for the implementation of the bilateral trade agreements signed in 2004 and ratified in 2005, as not much has happened since the ratification," said Shaanika.

To complement the efforts of the joint venture, both countries' investment and promotion agencies - ANIP of Angola and the Namibia Investment Centre - have also entered into a cooperation agreement.

There will also be a memorandum of understanding between the countries' departments of customs and excise.

Recently visa requirements for citizens of both countries were abolished.

A communiqué released after the meeting said the committee would be composed of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Angola's Ministry of Commerce and other relevant agencies from both countries.

The committee has a number of objectives which include identifying potential areas of trade and investment cooperation, improving the free flow of goods and services, negotiating sanitary and phytosanitary regulations to ensure compliance with various national and international provisions, identifying products for possible tariff reductions, cooperating in trade capacity building and exchanging information.

The Joint Trade Committee will meet twice a year.

Ndishishi said the committee's first follow-up meeting had been set for February.

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