By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Namibia and South Africa yesterday signed cooperation agreements at the start of South African President Thabo Mbeki’s two-day visit to Namibia.
The agreements include investment promotion and reciprocal investment protection between the two countries, a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic consultation between the Department of Foreign Affairs of South Africa and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Namibia, as well as a cooperation agreement in the area of Home Affairs and Immigration.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba said Mbeki’s visit was clear testimony of the excellent bilateral and economic relations that exist between the two countries.
“I believe that our deliberations here today and the joint opening of the International Investor’s Conference tomorrow morning (today) will further enhance interaction and cooperation between our two countries,” said Pohamba.
Mbeki and the country’s President Hifikepunye Pohamba will co-chair the two-day conference, which aims to attract foreign direct investment to the country.
“For Namibia, the conference is very important because it has the potential to transform the economic landscape in our country and indeed the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region,” said Pohamba
Pohamba also expressed the Government’s commitment to ongoing initiatives in areas of energy and electricity generation, environment and tourism, defence and security, health and social services, labour and social welfare, sport and culture, education and information and broadcasting.
“Progress has been made in many areas and we are starting to reap the benefits of these endeavours,” he said.
Pohamba also expressed appreciation for the material and technical support South Africa gave to the Namibia Defence Force, the opening of the Mata-Mata Border Post, as well as continued support in the establishment of the country’s own standards institutions.
The President congratulated South Africa on winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France recently.