More work to be done on Namibia-South Africa’s Orange River boundary talks – Mushelenga

Staff Reporter

MORE work needs to be done to reconcile the positions of Namibia and South Africa regarding the Orange River boundary.

This was announced by Dr Peya Mushelenga, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, at the Ministerial Meeting of the Political, Diplomatic, and Legal Committee of the Namibia-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) on Tuesday, 15 October 2024, in Swakopmund.

“Since the independence of Namibia in 1990, more than 30 years have elapsed without a conclusion on the matter of the Orange River boundary, and I, therefore, wish to caution against leaving the matter open without a conclusion to the negotiations, as this is not in the mutual best interest of current and future generations of both countries,” Mushelenga said.

He explained that the work of the Joint Committee of Experts has culminated in our Joint Report as the Political, Diplomatic, and Legal Committee of the Namibia-South Africa Bi-National Commission, which was adopted on Monday, 14 October 2024. That report, Mushelenga revealed, will soon be presented to the Namibian and South African Heads of State.

He revealed that the meeting between the Namibian and South African delegations was conducted in a frank, open, and cordial manner, guided by the principles of good neighbourliness, mutual respect, and trust—the values that continue to underpin the excellent state of bilateral relations and cooperation between our sister countries and peoples.

“Allow me at this juncture to express my most sincere gratitude to the Joint Committee of Experts for not only submitting and presenting their report but also for their tireless efforts and dedication aimed at assisting the two countries to reach a conclusion on the matter of the Orange River boundary, which has been the subject of negotiations between Namibia and South Africa since 1991,” Mushelenga added.