Egypt and Namibia have agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new areas of cooperation, following a meeting between their foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Namibian counterpart, Peya Mushelenga, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation on Sunday in Tokyo. The two ministers agreed to initiate preparations for the fifth session of the joint commission between the two countries as soon as possible. The commission will discuss existing cooperation frameworks, the status of implementing signed Memoranda of Understanding, and joint cooperation programs. Abdelatty also noted the desire of several Egyptian companies to increase their investments in Namibia, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, ports, and roads. He emphasized the importance of accelerating efforts to strengthen ties between the Egyptian business community and the Namibian government and private sector. Both ministers agreed on the importance of enhancing joint coordination on regional and international issues of mutual priority, and of pushing forward efforts towards continental integration and unity to achieve the interests of African nations and implement common priorities for African action. The meeting also highlighted the convergence of views on numerous international and regional issues and the importance of coordinating unified African positions. The two sides also agreed to exchange support for nominations to regional and international positions that are a priority for both countries. During the meeting, Abdelatty commended the friendly relations between Egypt and Namibia and expressed Egypt's desire to develop bilateral relations and strengthen mutual cooperation for the benefit of both nations, leveraging the potential of both countries. He also expressed gratitude to the Namibian government for allocating land to the Egyptian Church to establish a charitable medical and educational service center in Ondangwa. The Namibian Foreign Minister commended Egypt's leading role on the African and international stages. He expressed Namibia's interest in technical cooperation and exchange of expertise with Egypt in the field of green hydrogen, considering the ambitious plans of both countries in this area. He also highlighted the potential for cooperation through the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development and various Egyptian institutions in the areas of cybersecurity, data protection, agriculture, and agro-processing, which would contribute to shared gains for both sides. Mushelenga expressed his hope for further cooperation between the two countries at all levels, and for attracting Egyptian private sector companies and investments to Namibia, recognizing its significant role in African development.
