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President Sam Nujoma to Visit South
Africa, Tuesday, 18th March 2003
Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Sam Nujoma will co-chair
the fourth meeting of the Heads of State and Government
of South Africa and Namibia on Bilateral Economic Co-operation
on Tuesday, 18th March 2003 in Pretoria.
The meeting is aimed at encouraging and strengthening
the already close economic and bilateral relations between
both countries. The Namibian economy is to a large extent
integrated with that of South Africa, especially in
the manufacturing and mercantile sectors.
In addition, South Africa is Namibia's most important
trade partner as it holds approximately 80% of all investment
in the key industries such as mining, retail banking
and insurance.
Co-operation between South Africa and Namibia further
advances the objectives of NEPAD in terms of physical
infrastructure such as Okavango Upper Zambezi International
Tourism (AUZIT), Coast-to-Coast (C2C), the Walvis Bay
Spatial Development Initiative, and the promotion of
South-South cooperation within the South African Customs
Union (SACU), SADC and in other multilateral fora.
Bilateral co-operation between South Africa and Namibia
also extends to the mutual protection of marine resources
and rescue activities as well as security and defence
matters. Members of Namibian Defence Force are already
attending various training programmes with the South
African National Defence Force in South Africa.
Issues on the agenda of the economic bilateral meeting
include:
- The Walvis Bay Development Corridor initiative;
- The trans-Gariep and Ouzit Tourism projects;
- The Kudu Gas and Western Corridor projects;
- The implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol and
the South African Customs Union (SACU) renegotiation.
The delegation will also include the Ministers of Trade
and Industry of the respective countries, Alec Erwin
and Jesaya Nyamu.
For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082
990 4853.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
16 March 2003
Background
5. SOUTH AFRICA'S TRADE WITH NAMIBIA
South Africa is the source of 80-90% of Namibia's imports
by value, including virtually all commodities. Food,
beverages and, increasingly, machinery and transport
equipment, are the biggest import categories. Bilateral
trade between South Africa and Namibia accounts for
two thirds of Namibia's total foreign trade. South Africa's
imports from Namibia are estimated at 41% and consist
of live animals, meat, fish and mineral products while
exports are estimated at 84% and dominated by transport
equipments, machinery and other manufactured goods.
6. PROJECTS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA
Kudu gas: Exploration of gas in Namibia aimed at supplying
Western Cape.
Coast to Coast is a transport corridor whose main objective
is to link the two coastal ports of Maputo in the Indian
Ocean and Walvis Bay in the Atlantic Ocean.
Richterveld / Ai-Ai Transfrontier Park: The project
entails the establishment of a cross-border conservation
area. The proposed park covers about 5806 square km,
32% of which is in South Africa. In Namibia the Fish
River Canyon and the Ai-Ais hot springs will form part
of the park
Walvis Bay Development Corridor: The Namibian transport
corridor (Walvis Bay-Caprivi-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor)
of which the Trans-Caprivi Highway is part; and the
Walvis Bay-Botswana-Gauteng-Maputo Corridor of which
the Trans-Kalahari Highway form part.
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA
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