Windhoek — THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written a strongly worded letter to the Swapo Party, asking it to explain why it did not attend a meeting of former liberation movements held in South Africa, last month.

The meeting on November 25 was called by the African National Congress (ANC).

The Foreign Affairs move comes against the backdrop of ANC president, Jacob Zuma formally kicking off a two-day visit to Namibia today.

Zuma is leading a high-level ANC delegation for "fraternal" talks with Swapo.

Despite an invitation to Swapo Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Swapo did not show up for the meeting.

The meeting was aimed at strengthening "party-to-party relations amongst former liberation movements".

The November 25 meeting was a follow-up to previous meetings where it had been agreed "to strengthen ties among the parties, and to develop common approaches to challenges facing our countries, the region and the continent".

The parties that attended the Johannesburg meeting were Frelimo of Mozambique, the MPLA of Angola, Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania, Zanu-PF of Zimbabwe and the ANC.

The Namibian was reliably informed that Swapo did not even acknowledge the invitation requesting Iivula-Ithana to attend the gathering.

"It would be appreciated that comrade Secretary General (Iivula-Ithana) is attending, a full list of the delegation accompanying you should be sent to our office," the ANC's head of international relations, Ebrahim Ebrahim, wrote in the invitation letter dated November 4.

The Namibian also has it on good authority that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote to the Swapo headquarters last week asking it to explain why it did not show up at the meeting.

The Ministry is still awaiting a response.

According to a joint statement issued after the gathering of the former liberation movements, the parties "shared information on the current political and socio-economic environment in each of their countries" and the impact of the global economic crisis on countries in the southern African region.

The parties agreed that regular meetings of this nature be held at least once every year and that the "Secretaries General of each party would be at the centre of planning for ongoing discussions".

Despite Swapo snubbing the former liberation movements meeting, ANC's Zuma leads a high-level delegation of his party to Namibia today for "fraternal talks with Swapo".

The two-day visit starting today is aimed at deepening the historical relations between the two former liberation movements, a statement posted on the ANC website said.

"The visit takes place against the background of the resolution taken in Polokwane in December 2007, on reviving party-to-party relations amongst former liberation movements," the ANC statement said.

The watershed Polokwane ANC congress last December was where former South African president Thabo Mbeki was unseated by Zuma as ANC president.

The strengthening of party-to-party relations has taken Zuma to countries such as India, China, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Angola.

During his visit to Namibia, Zuma will hold discussions with President Hifikepunye Pohamba and also meet former President Sam Nujoma "and pay his respects in light of the passing on of the former president's mother".

Zuma's delegation consists of ANC national chairperson Baleka Mbethe, Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, Ebrahim Ebrahim, and the presidents of the ANC Women's League and the Youth League, Angie Motshekga and Julius Malema.

The ANC delegation will hold talks with the Swapo Party.

Zuma is also scheduled to address the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry tomorrow to encourage stronger economic ties between the two countries.