Namibian President Dr. Hage Geingob and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently met in New York during their attendance at the UN General Assembly.

The two leaders used the opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by liberation movements and to call for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe, which had been imposed by the US and other Western countries.

The courtesy meeting was the first since President Mnangagwa retained the presidency in a harmonised general election last month, where he gained 52.6% of the votes.

President Geingob was among the first leaders to congratulate Mnangagwa on his re-election, despite the criticism from some opposition parties and election observers.

Allegations include that the election process was reportedly inconsistent with the Zimbabwean Constitution and SADC election guidelines.

However, no candidate or party has so far lodged a case with the country's courts to challenge the outcome.

The Namibian government has since defended Dr. Geingob's congratulatory message, saying that it is in line with diplomatic standards and practices and that Namibia respects the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's mandate as an independent and competent body.