Africa-Press – Namibia. Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has welcomed South Africa’s Chief Justice Mandisa Maya to Namibia for a courtesy visit that also saw the two countries’ judiciaries formalise bilateral cooperation through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The visit included discussions on judicial collaboration, gender imbalances in the legal profession and the strengthening of ties between the two justice systems.
Chief Justice Maya, accompanied by Namibia’s Chief Justice Peter Shivute and the Minister of Justice and Labour Relations, Wise Immanuel, paid the courtesy call. President Nandi-Ndaitwah extended a warm welcome to the delegation, emphasising the strong relations between the two nations and the importance of continued judicial cooperation.
Photos: Namibian Presidency and Namibian Judiciary
During her visit, Chief Justice Maya delivered a public lecture attended by students, academics and legal practitioners, where she addressed key issues affecting the legal profession. Both she and the President reflected on the growing gender imbalance within the sector, noting that the number of female lawyers now outpaces their male counterparts. They expressed concern about the widening gap and discussed the need to support the boy child to ensure young men are not left behind in pursuing careers in law.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah further commended the long-standing cooperation between Namibia and South Africa, noting that strong collaboration between the judiciaries ensures laws are interpreted consistently and correctly. She also welcomed the signing of the new MOU, urging both Chief Justices to strengthen the partnership for the benefit of both countries.
The bilateral agreement was signed at the Supreme Court of Namibia, marking the first formalised cooperation between the two judiciaries. Chief Justice Shivute said the MOU closes a long-standing gap, as judicial ties had not previously matched the strong relations between the two governments. He highlighted the importance of judiciaries sharing ideas, experiences and best practices.
Chief Justice Maya, signing on behalf of South Africa, expressed gratitude for Namibia’s “hand of friendship”, noting that the two countries have long shared informal connections. She said the new legal framework will enable deeper cooperation and strengthen judicial development in both nations.
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