The Namibian High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Charles Josob, speaking at the launch of the Association, said the two countries have had a long history of friendship and the creation of the Ghana-Namibia Friendship Association only formalizes an already existing companionship.

According to him, Namibia had a lot of assistance from the international community in the lead up to their independence in 1990 and Ghana has since remained an ally.

The High Commissioner expressed his country’s appreciation to Ghana for the numerous collaborations the latter has undertaken with Namibia.

He mentioned, among many other things, how Namibian students trained in Ghana and how their security agencies keep benefiting from Ghana’s expertise through these collaborations.

Charles Josob was optimistic that the launch of the Association will foster an even deeper partnership and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of both countries.

He added that since their independence from South Africa, the assistance received prior to the birth of the country has made them naturally hospitable people.

Former President Jerry Rawlings who launched the Association noted the fact that more Namibians were travelling to Ghana to do business and visit tourist sites in recent years.

He however encouraged Ghana to learn from Namibia’s strides in developing a viable tourism development framework that has helped them build a thriving tourism industry which is a major revenue earner and one of the best on the continent.

The former president was full of praise for the Namibian High Commission for its vision in mooting the idea of the Friendship Association and seeing to its successful execution.

He charged the leadership of the Association to be innovative and work to ensure the realization of its objectives.

A deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Mohammed Habib Tijani, who was also present at the event, lauded the initiative and suggested that the Association should work to encourage cultural exchanges and interaction between the peoples of the two countries to help promote trade and integration.

Chairman of the Ghana-Namibia Friendship Association, Haruna Atta, Ghana’s immediate past High Commissioner to Namibia described the already existing friendship between the two countries as very cordial.

Namibia officially established their mission in Ghana some three years ago. Namibia has a population of about 2.4 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy.

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By: Selorm Adonoo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The First Session was held 12 years ago in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was Ghana’s turn to hold the Second Session, which took place at the Obed Yao Asamoah Conference Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration from 9^th to 11^th November, 2016.

The technical experts session was officially opened by Mr. Edwin Agyei the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry on behalf of Ghana’s Foreign Minister, the Hon. Hannah S. Tetteh, MP.

The First Session was held in 1992 during the visit of the Founding President of Namibia, Dr. Sam Nujoma to Ghana. Within that context Ghana and Namibia signed two bilateral agreements on Mutual Exemptions of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic/Official/Service Passports and for the Holding of Political and Diplomatic Consultations

The Ministerial Meeting took place on the last day of the Session where the Agreed Minutes and an MOU on Fisheries were signed. Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFA&RI) led the Ghanaian side which included the Deputy Foreign Minister, the Acting Chief Director, the High Commissioner of Ghana to Namibia and officials of MFA&RI.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of the Republic of Namibia, led the Namibian side which also included the Minister of Fisheries, Deputy Minister of Works and Transport, the Permanent Secretary, Namibia’s High Commissioner to Ghana and officials from the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (MIRCO) of the Republic of Namibia.

The two Ministers underscored the importance of the relations between their two countries and called for more interaction to advance their economies. They spoke of the need for more trade and commerce between their countries and cooperation in other crucial areas like education, culture, air transport and exchange of best practices in other fields.

The Agreed Minutes identified among others, the following areas for cooperation: Industrialization, Trade and SME Development; Lands and Natural Resources; Tourism; Environment; Poverty Eradication; Narcotics Control; Natural Resources and Children and Gender Issues.

Jointly closing the Session, the Namibian Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and Ghana’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Hon Mr. Emmanuel Bambande appealed to the MMDA’s involved to be more assertive and ensure that the aspirations of the PJCC are met. The two Foreign Ministers had earlier agreed during their meeting that officials of both countries will meet regularly annually to monitor and evaluate progress while a full PJCC would be held every two years.

The Namibian delegation has since left for home.

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Source: Ghana High Commission, Windhoek

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