Imelda Ambondo
Namibia and Botswana have made a commitment to enhance trade cooperation between the two neighbours going forward.
This followed a one day working visit by Botswana President Duma Boko to Namibia last week.
Boko said the two countries will hold regular meetings to strengthen economic cooperation and improve trade between the two countries.
“We will meet as regularly as required to drive our agenda of deep economics raising the volume and the quality of trade, intra-Africa trade,” he said.
He said the two countries want to improve trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area and through regional agreements.
“This requires opening up channels of engagement, infrastructure, trade corridors, facilitating movement, ease of movement of goods and persons between our countries,” Boko said.
He added that leaders must lead by example, saying movement between the two countries should become even smoother.
“We will deploy technology. The language now is ‘no stop border post’. We will ensure that goods move freely, they move seamlessly, and they move our economies,” he said.
The Botswana leader said the two countries are happy with the progress made so far but want more results.
“You will see more of these meetings. You will see progress, you will see infrastructure, you will see efficiency, you will see spectacular results,” he said.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the two countries have agreed to regular consultations to check progress and ensure agreements are implemented.
“We have agreed that we should have regular consultation to make sure that what we have agreed is being implemented in order to serve our people,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia and Botswana will work together in areas such as trade, infrastructure, tourism, natural resources and logistics.
“Namibia and Botswana have committed ourselves to collaborate on many areas, including trade, infrastructure development, tourism, and natural resources management,” she said.
She said Walvis Bay will continue to serve as a key gateway for the region.
“Namibia has made Walvis Bay as our strategic gateway in the region, open to all our neighbours,” she said.
She added that the Trans-Kalahari Rail Project is being looked at to unlock regional trade.
“We are looking into unlocking this value chain using the Trans-Kalahari Rail project and we are looking forward to its successful implementation,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also said the two countries must work together to deal with global challenges that may affect trade.
“As neighbouring countries, we need to see how we can secure ourselves, particularly on commodities that could be easily affected,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said ministers and technical teams have been directed to ensure agreements made at the bi-national commission are fully implemented.
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