On Thursday, Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, and Vice-minister for Africa, Yuri Pimentel, held a video conference with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to review the bilateral, multilateral cooperation agenda.
At the meeting, Venezuela’s and Namibia’s representatives discussed issues concerning the university sector, a topic on which a virtual meeting was recently held between the Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV) and the University of Namibia (UNAM).
Cooperation in areas such as oil and mining was another issue of common interest as Venezuela can provide assistance to Namibia in oil exploration, and Namibia can assist Venezuela in mining.
At the meeting, they also talked about the importance of moving forward with the integration between Africa and South America, and the creation of a proposal to bring together the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America- People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP).
Likewise, they exchanged information about the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Venezuela and local, regional elections in Namibia. In this regard, the African representative said a Namibian electoral delegation will visit Venezuela in February 2021.
Noteworthily, during the video conference, Venezuela and Namibia reaffirmed their friendly, solidarity-based ties as they rejected and condemned any form of blockades and meddling in each country’s domestic affairs.
Relations between Venezuela and Namibia
Venezuela and Namibia established diplomatic relations as soon as the latter gained its independence in May, 1990. As a result of Venezuela’s important support for Namibia in its emancipation process, the two countries have maintained diplomatic ties that have grown stronger and become strategic.
Venezuela also relied on the Namibian Government’s support to receive certification of Venezuela diamonds within the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).
So far, Venezuela and Namibia have endorsed 10 agreements. The Bolivarian Revolution has supported the Namibian people in the social, education area through programs like “Apadrina una Escuela” (Sponsor a School) and “Estudiantes Internacionales” (Internatioanl Students).