Windhoek
Namibia and Kenya yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperative technical assistance. They also agreed on the speedy implementation of a plan of action, which would benefit the current and next generations of the two countries.
Economic, social and cultural relations between Namibia and Kenya dating back to long before Namibia’s independence were cemented yesterday when Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry ohn Mutorwa and High Commissioner of Kenya to Namibia Isaac Njenga Gatitu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperative technical assistance and agreed on the speedy implementation of a plan of action which could benefit current and next generations of Namibia.
Gatitu stressed the key role of the cooperative movement in the economic emancipation of world economies as it provides the organisational means through which the less endowed people in society are able to fully engage themselves in economic development and enhancing social integration.
While Mutorwa noted that there is currently 142 registered cooperatives in Namibia with a membership of some 28 000 members, Gatitu said the cooperative movement in his country is more than 110 years old and has assets of more than N$128 billion. “The icing on the cooperative cake is that members are able to access financial services and marketing facilities through cooperative societies making it easy for members to structure their lives,” he observed.Gatitu said the cooperative movement in Kenya is the contribution to the economic, social and cultural lives of more than 12.3 million Kenyans.
He says Kenya will support Namibia in capacity building for the cooperative movement and technical officers as well as facilitate safe passages of officers from Namibia during training and attachment. The MoU also provides for Kenya offering training facilities at the Cooperative University College of Kenya on mutually agreed terms as well as developing curricula and disseminating cooperative education and training programmes with a bid to strengthening cooperatives in Namibia and placing them on a firm foundation.
High level consultation meeting will take place regularly between the two countries and both Mutorwa and Gatitu asked for the speedy implementation of the work plans as stipulated by the MoU.
Mutorwa said Namibia has cooperatives in various economic sectors like livestock marketing, savings and credit, small scale mining, arts and crafts, mahangu marketing, seed multiplication and provision of agricultural inputs such as seeds, ploughing services and first level oil processing from indigenous fruits such as marula kernels, melon seed and ximenia. All these cooperatives stand to gain tremendously from the expertise of Kenya.
Mutorwa concluded by saying Namibia has made significant strides in the development of cooperatives in some sectors. “But this MoU presents an opportunity for both countries to draw benefits from each other by sharing experiences and best practices in this sector.”