Launch of a partnership between Namibia and Reunion Island

In Windhoek, the President of the Departmental Council was received by the Rt Hon. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister, and then by Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for International Relations and Cooperation. It was emphasised that this emerging partnership between Namibia and Réunion echoed that between Namibia and the Hauts-de-France region, which has been active since February 2020. Reunion Island has the advantage of being part of the SADC region, with a population of around 900,000, compared with Namibia’s population of around 2.7 million.

Mr Cyrille Melchior placed his visit under the banner of human relations, envisaging the possibility of school exchanges at college level and, above all, cultural and museum collaboration relating to the slave trade and the plantation economy, the theme of the museum of habitation and slavery at Villèle: there were many links between Réunion and Southern Africa. President Melchior recalled the invitation extended to H.E. President Geingob to take part in the annual commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Saint-Denis on 20 December. The Deputy Prime Minister informed him that President Geingob had appointed Mrs Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, to represent him on this occasion. A visit to the Franco-Namibian cultural centre provided an opportunity to consider the role the centre could play in cultural and educational exchanges between Namibia and Réunion.

More on : Launch of a partnership between Namibia and Reunion Island – France in Namibia (ambafrance.org)