Mozambique and Namibia Scrap Entry Visas

19 May 2011

Windhoek — The Mozambican and Namibian governments on Wednesday signed an agreement in Windhoek to abolish entry visas for the citizens of the two countries.

The agreement ends an unjust situation. Several years ago Namibia unilaterally scrapped the entry visa requirement for citizens of Mozambique and of other countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). But until now there had been no reciprocity on Mozambique’s part.

The agreement was signed by the interior ministers of the two countries, Alberto Mondlane for Mozambique, and Rosalia Nghidinua for Namibia. At the same time, Mozambican Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi and his Namibian counterpart, Utoni Nujoma, signed a memorandum of understanding on political and diplomatic cooperation.

The Presidents of the two countries, Armando Guebuza of Mozambique and Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, witnessed the signing ceremony. Guebuza is currently on a two day official visit to Namibia.

Commenting on the agreements, Baloi said “in essence, this memorandum of understanding formalizes a practice that already exists between Mozambique and all the countries of the region”.

Relations between Mozambique and Namibia within SADC had been characterized for many years by regular exchanges of opinions and experiences, and harmonization of positions.

“But this was a spontaneous practice, and in international relations, the more we can formalize practices and routines, the better”, said Baloi. “Now we have an agreement which establishes the form this harmonization should take, but without shutting the door on spontaneity”.

Asked whether the agreement on the suppression of entry visas would take immediate effect, Baloi replied “there is still work to be done. When an agreement is signed a programme of actions is also established”.

For his part, Mondlane said that the suppression of visas expresses the desire of the peoples of southern Africa to be as united as possible and remove all communications barriers. He noted that Mozambique already has agreements suppressing visas with all the countries on its borders (Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland).

Guebuza will stay in Namibia after the end of his official visit, to enable him to attend a meeting of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) troika on Politics, Defence and Security.

Guebuza will meet with the troika’s Chairman, Zambian President Rupiah Banda, and South African President Jacob Zuma, who is the SADC facilitator on the crisis in Zimbabwe.

The meeting will take place in Windhoek and is expected to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular to evaluate whether there has been any progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed in February 2009 between the ruling Zanu-PF party and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Also on the agenda of the troika is Madagascar, where in March 2009 the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, toppled the elected President, Marc Ravalomanana in a coup.

The troika meeting is a follow up to one held in Livingstone, Zambia, on 31 March.

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