Windhoek: Justice and Labour Relations Minister, Wise Immanuel, has dismissed suggestions that Namibia's judiciary is at risk of being dominated by Zimbabwean expatriates. He emphasized that judicial exchanges between the two Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are reciprocal, beneficial, and aimed at strengthening the administration of justice.According to Namibia Press Agency, Immanuel was responding in the National Assembly to questions from Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) lawmaker Elvis Lizazi, who expressed concerns over the appointment of Zimbabwean judges in Namibian courts and the potential impact on judicial independence. Lizazi questioned the regular appointments of Zimbabwean judges to Namibia's courts, while pointing to a lack of evidence showing Namibian judges serving in Zimbabwe. He also sought clarity on the benefits of the bilateral cooperation agreement signed by the judiciaries of the two countries in May 2024, and whether such appointments could lead to long-ter m dependence on external expertise.Immanuel clarified that modern judiciaries cannot function in isolation and highlighted that Namibia has entered into judicial cooperation agreements with several countries, including Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Cuba, and Indonesia. "It is imperative that Namibia's judiciary forges strategic partnerships with peer judiciaries in democratic societies comparable to our own," he stated.The minister pointed out that Zimbabwe's interest in Namibia's judicial system is due to reforms implemented over the past 35 years, such as court-connected mediation, which was incorporated into Namibia's courts in 2014. "Namibia's judiciary is comparatively young, yet we take pride in the significant reforms achieved over the past 35 years," Immanuel noted, adding that Zimbabwe has shown interest in Namibia's model because of these developments.In addressing concerns about potential dependence on foreign judges, Immanuel asserted that such fears are "unfounded," as foreign judi cial appointments are made on a needs basis and are not central to the functioning of the courts. He emphasized that the Office of the Judiciary has revived the Aspirant Judges Training Programme and is in the process of establishing a judicial training institute to bolster local capacity and ensure a sustainable bench in the future.