Cape Town – The Namibian and Botswana governments have agreed to abolish the use of passports for travel between the two countries. Instead, citizens of the two countries will now use identity cards.
According to The Namibian, Namibia President Hage Geingob on Friday morning declared this while delivering his speech at the inaugural session of the Botswana-Namibia bi-national commission in Gaborone, Botswana.
BREAKING NEWS | Namibian and Botswana governments have agreed to abolish the use of passports for travel between the two countries. Citizens of the two countries will now use Identity Cards.
— NBC Digital News (@NBCDigitalNews) September 9, 2022
Report: Blanche Goreses#NBCNews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcdigitalnews pic.twitter.com/gTCiH0FD9k
“Our two countries not only share a common border, but also a common people and heritage. A symbiotic and inter-dependent relationship exists along our common borders,” Geingob said.
He called on senior officials to fast-track the implementation of the use of IDs as travel documents between the two countries, according to the Namibian.
Border dispute
In 1992, the uninhabited Sedudu island sparked a border dispute between Botswana and Namibia.
The island is located in the Cuando River, which is considered a part of the border between the two countries. Judges at the World Court ruled that the island belonged to Botswana in December 1999.
Relations between Namibia and Botswana
Botswana-Namibia relations are friendly, with the two neighbouring countries cooperating on economic development.
Botswana gained independence from Britain in September 1966.
Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence.
Botswana has a high commission in Windhoek.
IOL