Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA and Russia have begun the 11th Session of the Namibia–Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) in Windhoek, where senior officials are reviewing progress on bilateral cooperation and preparing recommendations for a ministerial meeting scheduled for today.
The session, which commenced yesterday, opened with a Senior Officials Meeting co-chaired by Ndiitah Nghipondoka–Robiati, Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, and Pavel Kalmychek, Director of the Department for Bilateral Cooperation Development at the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
Photos: Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation-Namibia
Delivering the opening remarks, Nghipondoka–Robiati recalled that during the 10th session, the two governments agreed to strengthen cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including trade and investment, geology, agriculture, fisheries, mining, energy, health, transport and aviation, as well as culture.
“It is my firm conviction that the successful outcomes of those sessions will continue to inspire us towards even greater achievements, for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” she said.
She further urged senior officials to intensify efforts to resolve outstanding matters and to develop practical, forward-looking plans of action to present to the principals.
The Senior Officials Session precedes the Ministerial Session and serves as a platform to review progress in implementing agreements and assess cooperation in key sectors. It will deliberate on issues of mutual interest and lay the groundwork for the ministerial meeting.
The Ministerial Session will be co-chaired by Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, and Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District.
