President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday co-chair the fourth South Africa–Namibia Binational Commission (BNC) with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in Pretoria, in a meeting expected to strengthen political, economic and trade relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The Presidency said the BNC forms part of a structured bilateral mechanism that has guided relations between South Africa and Namibia since its establishment in 2013, with three sessions having been held to date.
The high-level meeting will be preceded by a Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday and a Senior Officials’ Meeting held from 14 to 15 July 2026.
According to the Presidency, South Africa and Namibia share a longstanding relationship rooted in solidarity during the struggles against colonialism and apartheid, and continue to work together on regional and global issues through platforms such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU).
“The two countries share aligned views on advancing the political and economic integration of the African continent. They are committed to Africa’s renewal, Pan-African values, strengthening South-South cooperation, multilateralism, and upholding a rules-based international governance system,” the Presidency said.
The Presidency said the partnership between the two countries spans several sectors, including political cooperation, environmental management, science and technology, social development, and defence and security.
It added that significant progress has been made in bilateral relations since the end of apartheid, with 75 agreements and memoranda of understanding signed covering political, economic, social, defence and security cooperation, as well as historical agreements linked to the handover of Walvis Bay.
The BNC will also incorporate the South Africa–Namibia Business Forum under the theme, “Driving Regional Industrialisation, Investment and Sustainable Growth Through Strategic South Africa–Namibia Partnerships.”
The forum will bring together government and business representatives from both countries to explore opportunities to strengthen trade and investment.
The Presidency said South Africa and Namibia maintain robust trade and investment relations, with more than 50 South African companies investing in Namibia between 2023 and 2025. These investments contributed approximately US$1.2 billion in capital and created around 4,900 jobs in sectors such as mining, banking, insurance, property and renewable energy.
The opening ceremony of the Binational Commission is scheduled to begin at 10:00 at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) Conference Centre in Pretoria, followed by the closing ceremony at 12:00.
The South Africa–Namibia Business Forum will take place at 15:00 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.
