Your Excellency, my Dear Brother and Comrade, President Pohamba and Mrs Pohamba;

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Hage Geingob;

Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Theo Ben Gurirab;

The Chief Justice of the Republic of Namibia;

Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers;

Governors here present;

Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and gentlemen;

 

Good afternoon to you all!

 

Thank you Comrade President for your kind words of welcome. 

May I again take this opportunity, Your Excellency, to thank you for inviting us to visit this beautiful country.

Let me also express our sincere gratitude to the Government and the people of the Republic of Namibia for the exceptional hospitality that has been extended to us since our arrival.

 

Your Excellency,

 

Your warm and beautiful words of welcome have nostalgically reminded us of our history, a rich history!

I speak of a history of shared experiences especially of fighting  apartheid colonialism. 

 

Not so long ago, SWAPO and the ANC shared trenches and the resolve to free the peoples of Namibia and South Africa from bondage and racism.

We shared revolutionary tactics; shared a common vision and resolve. 

Most profoundly, SWAPO and ANC members shared detention cells and prisons. Because we shared common tactics, vision and resolve, in the end we triumphed.

This shared history I am talking about has, over the years, cemented our relationship and comradeship. 

 

We are one people!  

 

Through our collaborative efforts, we also created new democratic administrations in the two countries and began collaborating as free peoples.

This visit is aimed at taking forward that collaboration so that we bring about a better life for the peoples of the two countries.

 

Your Excellency

Ladies and Gentlemen;

 

Earlier this morning, we held our bilateral discussions during which we reflected on a wide range of cooperation areas, including, but not limited to, energy, trade and industries, transport, environment, water, communications, education, science and technology, mining, agriculture, security and tourism.

 

We noted with satisfaction the great progress that has been achieved in some of these areas. 

We have committed ourselves to further deepen our cooperation for the mutual benefit of our respective countries and peoples.

Of particular significance, we formally launched this morning the strategic Bi-National Commission (BNC) between our two countries. 

 

The BNC transforms the Heads of State Economic Forum which hitherto we have been cooperating under.

In effect, we have expanded the areas of cooperation beyond just economic cooperation. 

We have now included diplomatic, social and security cooperation. 

Considering our rich history, our bilateral cooperation could no longer be limited to economic cooperation only. 

 

Your Excellency,

 

While many bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding have over the years been concluded between our two countries, we have noted that their implementation is not at the level we wanted it to be. 

In this regard, we have directed the relevant ministers and officials to prioritise full implementation of these agreements for the mutual benefit of our respective peoples and countries. 

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

In our collective desire to further enhance close economic cooperation between our two countries, we need to prioritise cross border infrastructure to facilitate easy flow of goods and services. 

We need to encourage our private sector to forge close cooperation consistent with our strategic desire to increase mutually beneficial economic cooperation between our sister Republics. 

Our two countries need to continue to expand bilateral cooperation by exploring new areas which we have not yet tapped into. 

 

Excellencies

Ladies and gentlemen;

 

Namibia and South Africa cooperate closely within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and beyond. 

Regarding peace and stability in our region, let me congratulate you Your Excellency and Namibia for the sterling work you are performing in your capacity as the Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. 

 

We have agreed to continue working together closely in promoting peace and stability in the African continent.

We are encouraged by the success of the meeting held in South Africa these past three days, of the joint SADC-International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and that of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises Summit.   

We are also working hard to strengthen and improve the efficiency of our oldest Customs Union, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). 

In this regard, we need to finalise the ongoing reform processes within this Union.

 

Ladies and gentlemen;

 

Early in the year, we gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to celebrate the year of the African Jubilee. 

We continue to salute our forebears, the African visionaries whose vision of the African unity and solidarity continue to inspire us. 

We owe it to our legendary and illustrious African visionaries such as Andimba Toivo ya Toivo to continue to fight for human rights, development and democracy.  

 

Your Excellency;

 

Let me, once more, thank you for inviting us to visit this beautiful land of Namibia. 

We commit ourselves to working tirelessly to further consolidate and deepen these strategic relations. 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

 

Please rise and join me in a toast to the good health and success of His Excellency, President Pohamba and to stronger bilateral bonds, friendship and comradeship between the people of Namibia and South Africa.

 

To friendship and prosperity!

I thank you.