Menongue: Angola and Namibia have recommended improvements in security along their shared border, emphasizing the need for joint patrols and information sharing. This recommendation was outlined in a press release following a bilateral meeting held in Menongue from the 17th to the 19th of this month, attended by delegates from the Ministries of the Interior of Angola's Cubango province and Namibia's Rundu-Okavango East, Nkure Nkuru-Kavango West, and Ohangwena provinces.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the meeting focused on the 4,064 documented cases of border violations and the detention of 7,698 Namibians who returned via the same route since 2023. To address these issues, the delegates recommended the implementation of joint patrols to prevent cross-border and related crimes.
The meeting also addressed the issue of fuel smuggling, recommending intensified operational actions, including patrolling and coordinated information exchange, to prevent, discourage, and hold accountable those responsible for illicit practices along the border. Given the distances between land and river border posts and their vulnerability, the parties requested continued monitoring to discourage violations by border residents and others.
Regarding incidents of sexual assault and attempted assault, Angola recorded one case in the town of Olupale, while the Namibian side recorded four cases in the border regions with Cubango since 2023. The meeting encouraged authorities to work on opening new border posts in areas with high migratory flow and acknowledged the challenges in controlling border residents due to the distances between official posts and the lack of identification documents, which facilitates crossing in unsuitable locations.
The meeting aimed to assess the progress of resolutions from the previous meeting in Rundu, which addressed issues such as reducing border incidents, improving operational information between joint forces, tax evasion, poaching, cattle rustling, and other cross-border crimes.
