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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
President Mnangagwa is today expected to leave for Namibia on a three-day State visit that will coincide with the ninth Zimbabwe-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said the President will also open Zimbabwe’s dry port in Walvis Bay, built on land donated by the Namibian government.

“A Joint Permanent Commission which will take place tomorrow (today) in Windhoek is going to be the ninth Joint Permanent Commission between Zimbabwe and Namibia and, secondly, it will be followed by a State visit by His Excellency President Mnangagwa and he will also have an opportunity to official commission the dry port,” Minister Moyo said.

“The dry port is land that was donated by the Namibian government to Zimbabwe so that we build the dry port and it has been completed through contributions by the Road Motor Services here in Zimbabwe.

“We expect that this is going to be one of the gateways, particularly to South America, to West Africa and to a number of other countries in that part of the world, so that we can then use that route of the Caprivi Strip. That is within the framework of the (African)Continental Free Trade Area.”

Minister Moyo said the Joint Commission will deliberate on a number of areas, especially economic cooperation.

“The Joint Commission is going to be deliberating on a number of issues. As you may recall, Namibia is a very close political friend to the people of Zimbabwe and Namibia has interacted with us economically,” he said.

“They provided funds to rehabilitate the Hwange Power Station against the provision of 80MW which is being exported to Namibia as a form of payment but there are a number of technical and scientific agreements which are going to be signed and which will indicate that Namibia requires teachers in a number of areas so that they can develop their innovative areas.

“We are also looking at other various areas including the avoidance of double taxation agreement which is going to be followed up and discussed so that we could perfect the trade which is going on. So it’s a really important exercise which will go on between tomorrow (today) and Friday so that the two countries can maximise the economic benefits which are commensurate with the political relations.”