A detailed plan targeting communities living along the common border of Namibia and Botswana was launched at Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region on Thursday.

The launch of the civil-military cooperation plan marks the beginning of a campaign to sensitise and inform people living along the border of the two countries on how mutual cooperation will be executed.

Launching the initiative, the Namibian Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Frans Kapofi, said it is testimony to a shared commitment to peace and security.

Kapofi noted that the joint plan will address poaching, illegal fishing, and cattle rustling perpetrated by foreigners crossing through Namibia to Botswana and vice versa.

He said common challenges between Botswana and Namibia must be resolved peacefully without encouraging hostility, adding that communities must know who they harbour, as people with evil intentions can easily disguise such intentions.

"We agree with the chiefs of our two defence forces that for us to arrest and contain the situation, our communities living along the borders should be stakeholders in this campaign. Their involvement and awareness are critical to the success of the security and law enforcement agent efforts. Other stakeholders, such as traditional and other community leaders and government institutions, are crucial in making this dream a reality. This plan is therefore not a strategy but a beacon of hope for a safer and more secure future for our community."

His Botswana counterpart, Minister of Defence and Security, Thomas Kagiso Mmusi, stressed that border dwellers often share common characteristics but are only living in different countries.

"And I believe that as we come together, this launch will continue to see our relationships every day becoming one. As Botswana, we are a landlocked country, and we need our neighbour Namibia more than ever. There are certain things that we have done together, Botswana and Namibia; we are the same in everything, as people, as population, and almost the same size as countries. Therefore, we need each other because, as we hold together as two countries, we will become stronger and become a massive country, which is two countries becoming one."

The traditional authorities in the Zambezi Region noted that military cooperation is essential for community resilience and development and critical to maintaining security and stability. 

Their message was read by the Chairperson of the Zambezi Ngambela's Forum, Albius Kamwi.

"As we embark on this journey, we call on all members of our community to actively participate in this initiative. Let us embrace this opportunity to work together to support one another and build a stronger and more resilient community. Your involvement is crucial to the success of this plan. We also urge our military personnel to continue demonstrating professionalism, compassion, and respect in all their interactions with the community. Your role is not only to protect but also to serve and support the people."

The civil-military cooperation plan started in 2022 to ensure that the border communities of the two countries live in harmony and respect the values of coexistence and good neighbourliness.

The sensitization campaign will be carried out in 40 villages, 21 in Botswana, and 19 in Namibia's Zambezi Region.