President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to host Namibian President Hage Geingob, who will undertake a State Visit to South Africa on Thursday, 20 April 2023.
“The visit aims to solidify bilateral relations between the two countries. It is expected that President Ramaphosa and President Geingob will discuss political and economic issues, including regional, continental and international matters of mutual concern, including exchanging views on the political situation in Eswatini, conflict in Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Palestine and the Russia – Ukraine situation,” the Presidency said in a statement on Friday.
South Africa and Namibia enjoy close historic relations and the structural bilateral relations between the two countries is conducted under the framework of a Bi-National Commission (BNC) inaugurated in 2013.
The Presidency said that the State Visit by President Geingob will afford the two countries an opportunity to solidify their bonds of friendship through assessing progress made in the implementation of the decisions of their BNC.
The visit will also afford the two countries an opportunity to enhance economic cooperation; explore trade and investment, and identify new areas of cooperation.
In 2022, South Africa imported R16.1 billion from Namibia and in turn, South Africa exported R56.5 billion to Namibia.
The second session of the South Africa-Namibia BNC was held in South Africa in October of 2016.
The Presidency said the third session is scheduled to be hosted by Namibia and meetings at senior officials level are underway as part of planning for this meeting.
The State Visit will be preceded by a bilateral meeting between the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Dr Naledi Pandor and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of Namibia on 19 April 2023.
Namibia is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and President Geingob Chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation.
The last State Visit to the Republic of South Africa by the Republic of Namibia took place in November of 2012, by former President Hifikepunye Pohamba. –SAnews.gov.za
