President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has stressed Namibia's call for the conclusion of the long-standing Orange River boundary dispute, describing it as a critical step towards completing the country's decolonisation process.
Co-chairing the 4th South Africa-Namibia Bi-National Commission in Pretoria, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the matter remains a priority for both countries and expressed hope that the session would provide a clear way forward.
The dispute, which has featured prominently on the BNC agenda for years due to its implications for sovereignty and water governance, was discussed following the presentation of a Joint Committee of Experts report.
The report builds on progress made during the October 2024 BNC, when both countries indicated that the matter was moving towards finalisation.
Beyond the boundary dispute, Dr. Nandi-Ndaitwah proposed closer regional cooperation in energy, including the transmission of electricity from Angola through Namibia to South Africa.
She also welcomed future cooperation in nuclear energy once Namibia's legal and policy framework is in place and reiterated the need to accelerate industrialisation through a re-imagined Southern African Customs Union.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the two resource-rich countries to move beyond exporting raw materials and instead build regional value chains that support industrialisation, innovation, skills development and job creation.
He further called for deeper collaboration in mining, oil and gas, green hydrogen, infrastructure and investment, highlighting the Orange Basin and opportunities to develop an integrated regional energy economy.
Ramaphosa also stressed the importance of removing trade barriers, improving transport corridors and strengthening private sector partnerships to unlock the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
On regional issues, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to peace, regional integration and African-led solutions to conflicts on the continent, while pledging continued cooperation to advance economic development and improve the lives of their citizens.