Niël Terblanché
The Fifth Session of the Namibia-Ghana Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC), held in Swakopmund, reinforced the enduring commitment of both countries to foster collaboration across multiple sectors.
According to a joint communiqué issued at the end of the session, discussions encompassed a broad spectrum of areas, including foreign service training, agriculture, mining, health, transport, energy, education, youth development, and regional and local government administration.
One of the significant outcomes of the session was the expressed desire to elevate the PJCC to a bi-national commission, which would be co-chaired by the heads of state of both countries.
This initiative aims to further solidify the political and diplomatic consultations, enhance bilateral trade, and promote socio-economic development in both countries.
The Commission acknowledged mutual requests for support in international candidatures, notably Ghana’s request for Namibia’s backing of Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General and Namibia’s request for Ghana’s support for Major-General Anne-Marie Nainda and Harsen Nyambe in their bids for prominent roles within INTERPOL and the African Union Commission, respectively.
An important milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Namibia’s International Women’s Peace Centre and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.
This MoU will focus on technical capacity building, training, and policy research related to women, peace, and security, as well as peacekeeping and peace support operations.
The session also covered regional security concerns, with Ghana highlighting its role within ECOWAS to address security challenges through the Accra Initiative and Namibia detailing its contributions as Chair of the SADC Organ on Defence and Security and its membership in the AU Peace and Security Council.
The Commission also expressed concerns over ongoing conflicts in various regions, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Gaza, and Ukraine, calling for peaceful resolutions.
It also reaffirmed solidarity with Western Sahara and support for the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
The session stressed the need for reforming the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to include permanent representation for African countries, advocating for an urgent transformation to reflect current global realities.
Peya Mushelenga, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, led the high-level meetings.
Botchwey took the opportunity to address the Swakopmund International Trade Expo, urging enhanced bilateral trade and investment within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Both ministers expressed gratitude for the hospitality extended by their counterparts and looked forward to the Sixth Session of the PJCC, scheduled to be held in Ghana in 2026.
