Namibia and Congo are strengthening their longstanding diplomatic ties and deepening economic cooperation.
International Relations and Trade Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi and her Congolese counterpart Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso said the ministerial session of the 5th Namibia-Congo Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation marked a renewed push to turn historic solidarity into tangible socio-economic gains.
Minister Ashipala-Musavyi emphasised that both countries share similar aspirations for development and prosperity and must work closely to address mutual socio-economic challenges.
She highlighted opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area's (AfCFTA) Agenda 2063 as key platforms for expanding trade and regional integration.
The session follows preparatory meetings by senior officials, who discussed cooperation in trade, education, transport, mining, health, agriculture and other priority sectors.
Their deliberations culminated in recommendations for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on political and diplomatic consultations and in the field of education.
Pending agreements concerning collaboration between the two countries' port authorities and cooperation in the oil sector are expected to be finalised soon, the ministers indicated.
Ashipala-Musavyi says, "The agreements to be signed, including those which already exist, will be implemented with seriousness and within the agreed time frames towards achieving identified national development goals. And I want to take this opportunity to call upon our senior officials to continue to show the utmost dedication so that the instruments that we sign in this framework are not just documents but will really enhance socio-economic development between our two countries."
Congo's Minister for International Cooperation and Public-Private Partnerships, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, stressed that Namibia-Congo ties transcend diplomacy, rooted in shared fights for African liberation and reciprocal solidarity.
He cited the 2014 Kitaka Vocational Institute as a prime South-South success, training youth from both nations, and urged experts to evaluate cooperation for new development-focused areas.
"I therefore invite you to conduct an objective evaluation of our bilateral cooperation and to identify new areas of common interest so that this cooperation contributes optimally to our development efforts, social progress, and the collective well-being of our respective peoples. I wish to recall that Congo and Namibia have signed and ratified the treaty establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, whose full operationalisation is planned by 2030."
Both ministers stressed responsibilities tied to the unique bonds for development, social progress and peoples' well-being.