Historic First: Since becoming Namibia’s fifth head of state, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s journey was her first overseas assignment, signalling the beginning of her responsibilities outside the nation’s boundaries.
Presidents Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and João Lourenço met at the Presidential Palace in Luanda and reaffirmed the need to further strengthen Namibia’s and Angola’s longstanding friendship.
The two presidents also decided to take specific steps to increase economic cooperation to address the common issues facing both nations.
To fully implement the decision both countries made in 2019 to upgrade bilateral cooperation from a Joint Commission of Cooperation to a Bi-National Commission, which will be co-chaired by the Heads of State, they also emphasised the urgency of putting the legal instruments and cooperation frameworks into place.
The Bi-National Commission’s first meeting is to be scheduled.
The development of the Baynes Hydropower Plant is urgent, according to the two heads of state.
The two presidents are pleased with the Santa-Clara/Oshikango border post, which is open around-the-clock. They expect that the planned train link between Namibia and Angola will further boost trade.
Additionally, Presidents Lourenço and Nandi-Ndaitwah agreed that a date for the inauguration of the Cassinga and Shetekela Memorial Shrines needed to be decided.
The two leaders also discussed the implementation of the Oil and Gas Memorandum of Understanding.
With Angolan businesses investing in Namibia’s oil and gas industry, the Memorandum of Understanding is becoming more popular.
This emphasizes the need for Namcor and Sonangol to continue their collaboration in logistics, information exchange, and oil frontier development.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah visited SONILS, the Sonangol Integrated Logistics Services, after speaking with President Lourenco one-on-one.
It is a division of Sonangol, the nation’s oil facility and a leader in integrated logistical services.
The growth of local content and the creation of jobs in Angola’s oil and gas industry have been greatly aided by SONILS.
Namibia aims to follow this example by placing the Office of the President directly in charge of managing the rapidly developing oil and gas industry.
