Africa-Press – Angola. Delegations from the province of Cuando Cubango and three regions of Namibia recommended, Wednesday, in Mernongue, the strengthening of measures to prevent and combat cross-border crimes, with a view to consolidating bilateral relations.
The measure is expressed in the final communiqué of the 1st meeting on the assessment of the state of bilateral relations on the border of Cuando Cubango (Angola) and the regions of Kavango East, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi (Namibia), held from the 13th to the 14th in the city of Menongue, capital of Cuando Cubango.
Participants at the event also recommended combating drug and fuel smuggling, sharing information on Angolans detained and convicted of migratory offenses and related crimes, as well as the need to speed up the ratification of the prisoner extradition agreement by the namibia.
The promotion of awareness campaigns and dissemination of the migration laws of the Republics of Angola and Namibia on the dangers of illegal migration for citizens residing at the border and beyond, along the common border, is also part of the recommendations.
They also requested the installation of more border posts in neighboring communities, taking into account the constraints that have been observed in the mobility of border residents, aggravated by the cost of crossing to the detriment of their low economic capacity, which causes constant border violations.
The delegations propose that the crossing pass assigned to national citizens by the Migration and Foreigners Service be valid for a radius of 200 kilometres, instead of the current 60.
On issues related to education, health, trade, agriculture, livestock and fisheries along the border, they propose that the supervisory bodies of the two countries ensure a travel agreement, which will allow for a special movement of students, teachers and patients, to eliminate the bureaucratic acts that, in many cases, have caused abnormal situations.
This is due to the translation of health certificates, the sharing of information on epidemiological surveillance, movement of cattle, sharing of experience between specialists from the veterinary services of the two governments, creation of joint vaccination programs for cattle, among others. services.
The members called for the exchange of experiences through a town twinning agreement between Cuando Cubango and the Namibian regions, with a view to boosting regional development, with an emphasis on foreign investment, a task that will be completed as soon as the ministerial bodies competent deliberate.
Due to the pertinence of the subjects discussed, the participants proposed that these meetings be held regularly and in rotation, with the next scheduled for the first half of December 2013, in the city of Rundu, Kavango East region.
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