Namibia and South Africa signed seven bilateral agreements on Friday aimed at strengthening cooperation in labour, aviation, justice, correctional services, public administration, gender equality and business.
This took place during the fourth Namibia-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria, South Africa.
The agreements include a bilateral air services agreement, agreements on employment and labour, legal cooperation, correctional services, gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as cooperation between Namibia’s Institute of Public Administration and Management and South Africa’s National School of Government.
The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed an economic partnership agreement.
The leaders say the agreements would support stronger trade, investment and institutional cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and her South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, concluded the BNC by reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation in energy, mining, transport, agriculture, water, public healthcare, skills development and regional integration.
The two countries agreed to accelerate implementation of the Kudu Gas Power Project, strengthen the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, including a link to the Kazungula Bridge, and expand cooperation in electricity generation, renewable energy and mineral beneficiation.
Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed that implementation, rather than new commitments, would determine the success of the commission.
“It is no longer business as usual. We must deliver, account for and address the needs of our people,” she said, calling for the use of a digital scorecard to monitor progress on BNC decisions.
She acknowledged that the long-standing Orange River boundary dispute remains unresolved, expressing hope that both countries would urgently find a lasting solution.
