Namibia and Kenya renew diplomatic relations

Namibia hosted diplomatic consultations in Windhoek on Tuesday, 10 September 2024, led by Dr. Peya Mushelenga, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. Notable attendees included Deputy Executive Director Sabine Böhlke-Möller from the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation and the Head of Bilateral and Cooperation.

The strong relationship between Kenya and Namibia dates back to Namibia’s struggle for independence, with Kenya supporting SWAPO and contributing to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) during Namibia’s transition from 1989 to 1990. Additionally, Kenya hosts an expatriate community of about 500 individuals working in various fields such as teaching, aviation, marine, engineering, quantity surveying, architecture, and business.

In May 2024, Dr. Mudavadi and Dr. Mushelenga discussed finalizing the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), a bilateral initiative launched in 2018 but interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s meeting aimed to revitalize trade and diplomatic relations between the two nations. The Mid-Term Review (MTR) addressed critical issues, including business and diplomatic protocols and Namibia’s proposal to establish a Diplomatic Mission in Nairobi. This partnership, formalized by the General Agreement on Cooperation in 1992, continues to progress across various sectors and remains active within regional trade frameworks like the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and the COMESA-SADC-EAC Tripartite Free Trade Area.