WINDHOEK, Sept. 4 — Namibia and Botswana on Friday made a commitment to cooperate in strengthening security along their border lines as well as make sure residents of the two countries have equal access to natural resources along the Chobe River, according to a communique released from Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation.
The two countries made the pact following a combined fact-finding mission in Namibia’s northeastern Zambezi region bordering the two countries which in the past experienced tensions over poaching in the bordering river line.
Namibia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and his Botswana counterpart Lemogang Kwape, Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation also agreed to find ways of working together in safeguarding fishing resources in their vicinity while supporting the local economies.
The two ministers met different stakeholders including traditional leaders in the border area of the two countries to strengthen cooperation and create opportunities for working together.
The two countries released a communique saying,
“The two countries agree to cooperate in the equal sharing of resources shared by the two countries along their border lines in the true spirit of the Southern African Development Community’s protocol on shared water courses,” the communique said. (Xinhua)
(Special for CAFS) Namibia, Botswana to cooperate in border security and resource preservation
