Pretoria: South Africa and Namibia are poised to enhance their bilateral cooperation on gender equality and women's empowerment, following discussions between Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, and Namibia's Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Dr. Emma Kantema.
According to South African Government News Agency, the bilateral meeting occurred on the sidelines of the Fourth Session of the South Africa-Namibia Bi-National Commission (BNC), convened at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria. Chikunga highlighted that the historical and political ties between the two nations provide a robust foundation for collaboration aimed at advancing the rights and empowerment of women.
The partnership is supported by shared history, geographic proximity, and collaboration through regional and multilateral institutions such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and the United Nations. A significant outcome of the engagement is the expected signing of a bilateral agreement on cooperation in gender equality and women's empowerment during the Fourth Bi-National Commission.
The agreement, initially proposed in 2022, outlines a framework for collaboration in six priority areas. These include preventing and eliminating femicide and violence against women and girls, sharing expertise on national legislation and strategies to combat GBVF, and exchanging strategies to promote women's representation in decision-making roles across sectors.
Additionally, the agreement encompasses joint programs on empowering women in the agricultural and other economic sectors, training women and girls in conflict resolution under the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, and participating in dialogues on entrepreneurship and women's economic empowerment.
Chikunga acknowledged the progress made by officials from both nations in finalizing the agreement and emphasized the need for a clear action plan to guide its implementation. She underscored the significance of translating the agreement into a concrete Implementation Plan with defined targets and timeframes.
As South Africa prepares to assume the chairship of SADC, Chikunga outlined the nation's priorities, emphasizing collaboration with member states, including Namibia, to accelerate the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030. A virtual meeting of SADC Ministers responsible for Gender and Women's Affairs was convened as part of the preparations for South Africa's leadership of the regional bloc.
South Africa is set to host the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in August 2026, with a strategic focus on ensuring that the RISDP is fully realized by its planned date of expiry. The ongoing Mid-Term Review of the RISDP will provide valuable data on the implementation's progress so far.
Chikunga reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to working closely with Namibia and other SADC member states to advance gender equality, women's empowerment, and broader regional development priorities.
