Namibian president urges implementation of Angola cooperation agreements

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for closer parliamentary oversight of cooperation with Angola, saying the countries should judge their agreements by improvements in services, trade, investment and employment rather than the number of documents signed. In an address to Angola’s National Assembly in Luanda, published by The Namibian on 20 October 2026, she said the inauguration of the Angola–Namibia Bi-National Commission had elevated cooperation to a mechanism co-chaired by the two heads of state. That arrangement would allow them to monitor implementation more closely. Nandi-Ndaitwah said the countries had concluded more than 60 bilateral agreements and memoranda over the years and had signed seven agreements during the commission. She described the broader cooperation framework as spanning law enforcement, border management, trade, infrastructure, water and energy security, transport, education and health. She urged lawmakers to support delivery through legislation, budget allocations and executive oversight. Areas for parliamentary cooperation included child protection, preventing human trafficking, shared water resources and legal certainty for trade and investment. She also encouraged reciprocal parliamentary exchanges and university collaboration in water, energy, agriculture, engineering and languages. On regional trade, the president welcomed Angola’s decision to join the Southern African Development Community Free Trade Area and the finalisation of its tariff offer with member states in February 2025. She said remaining domestic processes still needed to be completed before the instrument could operate in Angola. The address linked the economic agenda to the countries’ liberation-era ties, recalling Angola’s support for Namibians in exile. Nandi-Ndaitwah also looked ahead to the joint inauguration of the Cassinga Memorial Park, commemorating the sacrifices associated with Namibia’s independence struggle.