Officials from Namibia and Botswana will meet in Windhoek this week to strengthen ties through the Bi-National Commission (BNC). The summit, co-chaired by Presidents Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Duma Gideon Boko on 10 October, is expected to deliver new agreements that could shape the future of cross-border cooperation. 

The Namibian Presidency announced the summit  in a statement by press secretary Jonas Mbambo, describing it as a key platform for strengthening bilateral relations.

“The two heads of state reaffirmed the longstanding bonds of friendship and shared historical ties between the two nations — foundations that continue to drive deeper economic and diplomatic collaboration,” Mbambo said.

Five-day

The BNC meeting will begin with a senior officials’ session from today to 8 October, followed by a ministerial session on 9 October, and culminating in the Heads of State Summit on 10 October.

Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, and her Botswana counterpart, Phenyo Butale, will co-chair the ministerial segment. 

The senior officials’ meeting will be led by Namibia’s Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati and Botswana’s Thuso Ramodimoosi.

The session will review progress in diplomacy, law, economy, social development, defence, and security cooperation. Several new agreements and memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed.

Cooperation

The BNC was established in January 2021, replacing the Joint Commission on Cooperation and the Joint Permanent Commission on Security and Defence. Its first session was held in Gaborone, Botswana in 2022.

Earlier this year, President Nandi-Ndaitwah visited Botswana for talks with President Boko. The two leaders agreed to speed up implementation of joint projects and to carry out a legal audit of all bilateral agreements.

Both presidents also used the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York last month to showcase their countries’ priorities. President Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered Namibia’s national statement during the general debate, while President Boko represented Botswana on the same platform.

The UNGA allowed both leaders to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and to highlight regional cooperation as a cornerstone of Southern Africa’s stability and growth.

Historical challenges

Namibia and Botswana share a 1 583-kilometre border and a long history of cooperation. The BNC now serves as the main platform to manage areas such as trade, agriculture and security.

However, relations have also faced challenges in the past. The two countries experienced tensions over water usage in the Okavango River, and a border incident in 2020 when four Namibians were killed by Botswana anti-poaching forces sparked public concern.

As Mbambo noted in his statement, the upcoming session will “provide a platform to explore new areas of collaboration and exchange views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.”