Namibia's chief diplomat, international relations minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi was in Brazzaville last week for a three-day working visit aimed at strengthening Namibia-Congo relations. There is a particular focus on expanding trade, investment and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Ashipala-Musavyi was in the Republic of Congo from 19 to 21 August at the invitation of her Congolese counterpart Constant Serges Bounda.
"I arrived today for a working visit upon the invitation of my brother, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Congo," Ashipala-Musavyi said in an interview after her arrival.
She said Namibia and Congo have a long-standing relationship but stressed that stronger economic cooperation is necessary to give the bilateral ties greater practical meaning.
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"It's a visit aimed at consolidating our bilateral relations, which are historic. But it's also a visit that intends to put more economic content into our bilateral relations," she said.
The minister's visit follows the fifth session of the Namibia-Congo Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC), held in Windhoek in February this year. The commission provides a platform for the two countries to identify areas of cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations.
The latest visit therefore placed economic diplomacy at the centre of Namibia's engagement with Congo, with Ashipala-Musavyi meeting ministers responsible for trade, investment promotion, infrastructure development and economic cooperation.
The discussions also involved the private sector and covered areas including trade and investment, multilateral cooperation, cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and oil and gas.
Ashipala-Musavyi said closer bilateral cooperation was also important in advancing broader African economic integration.
"Both of us are members of the African Continental Free Trade Area," she said, adding that African economic integration could only be achieved by enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between our two countries.
The minister also traveled to Pointe-Noire and Liambou as part of the programme. In Pointe-Noire, she addressed the Congo-Namibia Business Forum, providing an opportunity for businesses from both countries to explore trade and investment opportunities.
She was also scheduled to visit the Autonomous Port of Pointe-Noire and CORAF facilities before concluding the visit with a courtesy call on Congolese Prime Minister and Head of Government Anatole Collinet Makosso.
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The port visit is expected to add a practical dimension to the economic discussions, particularly as Namibia and Congo seek to deepen cooperation in trade, infrastructure and investment.
The working visit comes as Namibia seeks to strengthen economic diplomacy and turn its bilateral relationships into opportunities that can support trade, investment and regional economic integration.
