Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has implored Namibian and Zambian senior officials to finalise the Memorandum of Understanding on border passes for border residents.

This, according to Nandi-Ndaitwah, holds great potential for the advancement of regional tourism, sustainable management of shared natural resources and community empowerment.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking during the 10th session of the Political and Diplomatic Consultations of the Namibia-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation taking place in Swakopmund.

“Such an MoU will further contribute to the consolidation and harmonisation of peaceful co-existence along our common border,” she added.

The two-day session is aimed at creating a platform to not only to review the implementation of the agreements that the two countries have reached so far, but also to further plan concrete activities for socio-economic development in order to respond more effectively to the needs and aspirations of the two countries’ inhabitants.

“During this meeting, we will consider a large number of issues. I would like therefore, to reiterate that our joint efforts to promote economic growth and sustainable development for our two countries should continue to enjoy priority.”

The two countries have also, as a consequence of the joint commission mechanism, recorded common achievements such as the completion of the Trans-Caprivi Highway, Katima Mulilo-Sesheke Bridge on the Zambezi River and the Livingstone-Sesheke Road, among others.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said Zambia is an important trade link for Namibia in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and of all the dry ports at the port of Walvis Bay, the Zambian Dry Port is the most active in terms of volumes, with containerised imports continuing to account for over 60 per cent of all transit cargo via the dry port.

Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Stanley Kakubo, at the same occasion emphasised the need to utilise the session to its full extent, so as to consolidate the countries’ bilateral ties.

“The holding of this session is a clear testimony to our desire to enhance and broaden cooperation between our two countries. I also wish to commend the senior officials from both Zambia and Namibia for the effort and hard work in agreeing on set targets and time frames for the implementation of the various areas of cooperation,” he noted.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency