As the first citizen and number one State diplomat, President Ndaitwah embarked on her maiden foreign trip to some Southern African Development Community member states in May 2025. 

The President concluded trips to Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. 

Notably, the Head of State started off with Angola, Namibia’s neighbour to the north. Important to note too is that Angola rightly and unquestionably enjoys diplomatic recognition in The Land of the Brave. 

In addition to cementing bilateral diplomatic ties, the visit was a symbolic gesture, as Namibia’s relations with Luanda are engraved in blood. 

This is because of the shared history of profound sacrifices and ties built throughout the history of the two states, and in particular the role played by the The Land of the Giant Sable towards Namibia’s independence. 

Angola can be cherished by many learned Namibians, our elderly and other informed citizens due to its role during the liberation struggle until the country attained its national sovereignty in 1990. 

Angola housed fleeing Namibian civilians and the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, the then-South West Africa People’s Organisation military wing that was created to confront the South African Apartheid regime’s South African Defence Force. 

As such, the country was effectively at war with the South African fascist regime, as it became a primary target for military action and sabotage in what was referred to as the South African Border War from 1966 to 1990. 

Angola’s southern territory became an active frontline as it was bombarded. 

Angolan soldiers and civilians alike lost their lives for the sake of Namibia. 

It can be argued that insecurity in Angola involving Jonas Savimbi’s National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) was fuelled by Namibia’s aspiration for independence. 

It was Luanda’s ironclad commitment, along with the revolutionary Cuban forces and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’ (USSR) support for the emancipation of our peoples that Angola became a strategic ‘problem’ and geopolitical cake for the Apartheid regime. 

As such, this problem had to be dealt with militarily. 

Post-independence Namibia too played a key role in the death of Savimbi in 2002 and the subsequent defeat of UNITA’s forces. 

In this regard, President Nandi- Ndaitwah’s visit, being her first stop abroad, gestures acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by Angola. 

In addition, it proves the highest honour and gratitude to the Angolan heroes who fell for our motherland and to the general populace at large. 

The two countries have maintained good neighbourliness, and ties have strengthened over time. 

Cross border trade between the two have increased, and people movement on both ends have risen. 

Multiple agreements have been reached between the two states, particularly in economic and diplomatic agreements. 

Namibia and Angola agreed in 2023 on collaboration within industries in energy, oil and gas. 

This ensures that with Namibia looking to become an oil producer, it could benefit from the well experienced oil producer Angola. 

The long-standing bilateral agreements between the two states involves the use and supply of water to northern Namibia from the Kunene River, which flows from the highlands of Angolan soil. 

These agreements, with their genesis being the 1926, 1964 and 1969 agreements, respectively, between the then colonial governments of South Africa and Portugal, were signed in September 1990 between independent Namibia and Angola. 

The 1990 agreements have since been honoured by Luanda, with further agreements having been signed in the years that followed. 

Angola has not used water supply as leverage for any interests or desired action against Namibia as is the case with other states that are neighbours. 

There is also no indication that the two states’ militaries have been engaged in any border skirmishes since Namibia’s independence. 

Namibia and Angola thus share a symbiotic relationship, rooted in history and ideology. 

More so, this pact is engraved in blood. Unsurprisingly, the No.1 architect of Namibia’s foreign policy started off in Luanda. 

With this said, ordinary sons and daughters of Angola and Namibia, not only state actors, should feel obligated to honour and continue to foster the relations between the two states. 

*Ricky Simasiku Simasiku is a scholar of international politics. He writes in his personal capacity.