President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe with Namibian Minister of Trade and Industry Hage Geingob during a visit by the head of state on August 10, 2011. The two parties, ZANU-PF and SWAPO, have enjoyed fraternal relations since the liberation wars., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
President in Windhoek
Thursday, 11 August 2011 02:00
Namibia’s minister of Trade and Industry Hage Geingob received President Mugabe after his arrival in Windhoek yesterday
From Robert Mukondiwa in WINDHOEK, Namibia
Zimbabwe Herald
PRESIDENT Mugabe arrived here yesterday to attend a meeting of liberation movements in the Southern African region hosted by Namibia.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was received by ruling Swapo Vice President and Namibia's Minister of Trade and Industry Hage Geingob and Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Namibia Cde Chipo Zindoga.
President Mugabe who was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, Cabinet Ministers and service chiefs, was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and senior government officials.
The leaders from various liberation movements that brought independence to Southern and Central Africa are expected to discuss ways of consolidating the gains of the liberation struggle as well as confront the challenges facing the region in the wake of persistent attempts by the West to meddle in Africa's internal affairs.
They are billed to discuss challenges brought by globalisation and appraise each other on situations in their countries as well as share notes on other critical issues.
Other issues to be discussed include how the countries can be regionally and internationally competitive in a world where the tenets of fair trade are not observed, leaving weaker African countries and their economies being manipulated by the West in spite of Africa being the bowel of the world's natural resources and raw materials.
A number of Southern African countries including Zimbabwe were recently confirmed to be the top producers of diamonds in the world.
Poverty continues to choke these countries owing to skewered economic rules the world over in which the resource poor West continues to dictate the pace and direction of trade.
Several liberation movements, which are still at the helm of governing their countries have voiced concern on the need to now hand over the reins of economic power into the hands of indigenous peoples, something that was spearheaded by Zimbabwe in President Mugabe's land reform programme and indigenisation policies that are soon to shift to companies and mines.
South Africa, which is being represented by the African National Congress (ANC) and Namibia led by Swapo have since taken a cue from Zimbabwe and are also making deliberate steps towards making the gains of political independence move to ownership of resources and the economy as the juggernaut of African empowerment goes up a notch.
The meeting comes hot on the heels of the recent Heroes and Defence Forces Day celebrations by Zimbabwe in Harare, in which the selfless efforts of the sons and daughters of the liberation war in Zimbabwe both living and deceased were commemorated and celebrated.
Other liberation movements present in Windhoek include Frelimo from Mozambique and Tanzania's ruling party Chama Chamapinduzi, and revolutionary parties from Angola and Zambia amongst other like-minded leadership institutions.
President Mugabe met his Namibian counterpart Mr Hifikepunye Pohamba at the Namibian State House late last night ahead of the commencement of the meeting this morning.
Zimbabwe and Namibia share strong bilateral relations that have seen the two nations grow alongside each other over the years in a relationship that President Mugabe has reiterated as confirming Namibia as an "all weather friend."
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