Pretoria-There’s a high potential of trade between Uganda and Namibia.
This was observed during a meeting between Uganda’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Paul Amoru and the Ambassador of Namibia to South Africa, Veiccoh Nghiwete at the latter’s office in Pretoria on Tuesday.
According to a statement by Uganda’s Mission in Pretoria, the two envoys noted that some of the products of interest include coffee, fish, maize flour and beef processing.
Uganda and Namibia have enjoyed cordial relations since the early 1990s. Trade between the two countries is governed under the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Tripartite and the Continental Free Trade Areas. However, trade between the two countries remains very minimal and skewed in favor of Namibia. Foreinstance, Uganda’s exports to Namibia was US$314.59 Thousand during 2020, while it’s imports from Namibia in the same year was US$154.75 Million, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the two envoys observed the existing strong bilateral relations.
“They noted that Namibian President Hage Geingob visited Uganda in May, 2021 for the inauguration ceremony of President Museveni. Additionally,
in 2018 Netumbi Nandi, Deputy Premier and Minister of international relations and cooperation delivered a special message from President Geingob to President Museveni.” the statement reads in part.
The two also appreciated the existing diplomatic relation demonstrated by the appointment in 2018 of respective Honorary Consuls to Windhoek and Kampala.
They pledged to follow up draft agreements in areas such as
cooperation in tourism, education, agriculture and immigration
matters.
The Namibian envoy expressed that Uganda has a developed tourism
and hospitality industry.
“There is close collaboration between
hospitality industry of Namibia and the Uganda Tourism and Hotel Training Institute, Jinja. This is exhibited by the several Ugandans working in hotels around Namibia as well as Ugandan expatriates teaching in Namibia’s Hospitality Training Institution.” Noted Nghiwete
Amb. Amoru used the opportunity to seek Namibia’s support for Uganda’s candidature for re-election to the International Telecommunications Union Council for the period 2022-2026.
The election is scheduled during the Plenipotentiary conference from 26th
September to 14th October, 2022 in Bucharest, Romania.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an agency of the United Nations whose purpose is to coordinate telecommunication operations and services throughout the world. It was established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union, making it the oldest UN agency.
The ITU is governed by the Plenipotentiary Conference and the Administrative Council.
The Plenipotentairy Conference is the decision making body which determines the direction of the Union and its activities.
The Council, on the other hand, acts as the Union’s governing body in the interval between Plenipotentiary Conferences. Its role is to consider broad telecommunication policy issues to ensure that the Union’s activities, policies and strategies fully respond to today’s dynamic, rapidly changing telecommunications environment.
Uganda has for years been a member of the council. Other African member states include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.
