05 Sep 2021

Botswana and Namibia foreign ministers have a signed a communique following their recent visit to Chobe District and Zambezi region.

In their familiarisation tour, Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Lemogang Kwape and Namibian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also engaged stakeholders on peaceful co-existence, good neighbourliness and challenges faced by communities living on both sides along the common river border.

In one of the meetings, Dr Kwape highlighted the need to nurture good relations and fruitful cooperation between the two countries.

Regarding an incident where three Namibians and a Zambian were shot by Botswana Defence Force (BDF) near Kasane on November 5 last year, he said in the spirit of good neighbourliness, Botswana and Namibia agreed to work together to determine and address circumstances that resulted in the incident.

He said the two heads of states stated that taking of any life was not condoned, hence their commitment to resolving the issue in an amicable manner. 

Dr Kwape noted that as part of Botswana’s commitment to bringing the matter to closure amicably, he met dikgosi in Chobe from the November 17 to 19 to request them to inform communities in their villages of the two governments’ efforts in resolving the incident.

Dr Kwape said government did not want any of the nationals of the two countries to live in fear and it was his hope that peace, hope, love and kindness that existed between the two countries continued to prevail.

He indicated that the Directorate of Public of Prosecutions had decided to do an inquest in order to get to the bottom of the nmatter. 

“Peace is rooted in every fiber of our being, it is entrenched in our systems and processes so let us continue to exemplify that,” he saidHe said time had come for traditional leaders and local authorities of the two countries to work with each other in order to realise the development of Botswana and Namibia.

For her part, Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia appreciated cordial relations that existed between the two nations.

She said Namibia and Botswana were neighbours and because of shared cultural heritage, the people of the two countries were one. 

She said Botswana and Namibia were neighbours, therefore the people of the two countries were a family and that should always be a guiding factor in cooperation at all levels.

She said since time in memorial, the people of the two countries lived together in harmony and shared natural resources along the border.

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah, however, said despite the cordial relationship, there were times where border issues had not played out in spirit of peaceful co-existence and cited the November 5 shooting as one of such.

She noted that in addressing the issue, the two heads of states committed to look into the matter seriously so to bring it a conclusion that would enable the two nations to continue living in harmony.

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said the conclusion was important because the recurrent incidents of shooting and killing if not attended to had potential to disrupt what was gained over the years.

She said Namibia communities continued to report cases of harassment and intimidation.

Some lived in fear and did not freely access natural resources along the common borders as a result. 

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said there was need to engage each other, identify root cause and address them.Botswana delegation comprised Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi, Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, and Science, also Chobe MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni, Botswana High Commissioner to Namibia, Dr Batlang Serema, Chobe District Council chairperson, Mr Amos Mabuku, Councillor for Chobe Enclave East, dikgosi and senior government officials. Ends