The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga, had substantive and productive talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Dr. Mushelenga's visit was his first visit to Russia as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
A statement issued by the Russian Embassy says the two ministers agreed that bilateral ties, rooted in the uncompromising struggle of the Namibian people for self-determination, are expanding and based on friendship and mutual affection between the peoples.
The Russian Foreign Minister says his country is satisfied with the level of political dialogue, and Russia will maintain regular contacts and dialogue in new areas.
Sergey Lavrov welcomed the increased contacts between the parliaments and parties of the two countries, as well as the intensified exchanges between ministries and agencies.
Lavrov, however, mentioned that bilateral trade remains quite modest, and the two countries have expressed mutual interest in expanding trade and implementing investment projects. The Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation will work to promote this.
The meeting also highlighted that the most promising areas of cooperation include the extraction and processing of mineral resources, energy, the agricultural industry, fishing, public health, personnel training, culture, tourism, and sports.
According to the statement, the two ministers also agreed to accelerate joint work to finalize the language of several draft intergovernmental and interagency documents.
They also exchanged views on international political priorities. Like Namibia, Lavrov stated that Russia supports the democratization of international relations and believes in adhering to the provisions and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety, without interpretation depending on the circumstances or individual preferences.
The two ministers discussed the need to reform the UN and its Security Council and reaffirmed their unwavering position that the legitimate interests of African countries should be fully considered.
The Russian Foreign Affairs Minister appreciates Namibia's solidarity with a number of Russia's initiatives in the UN, including the resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism, outer space and disarmament matters, and cyber security.
Regarding regional issues, the ministers also discussed the situation in SADC, with a focus on the hotbeds of tension in the eastern DRC and northern Mozambique.
Russia believes that strengthening the sovereignty of African countries is important and emphasizes the principle of African solutions to African problems.
The meeting acknowledged the mutual commitment of the two countries to enhance Russia-SADC cooperation and discussed the prospects for expanding cooperation within the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.
Ministers also exchanged views on the state of affairs in the Middle East, particularly in the context of the sharp escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and Ukraine.