Deputy Prime Minister Marco Hausiku recently led a 13-member Namibian delegation to the third Africa South America (ASA) Summit hosted by President Theodore Obiang of Equatorial Guinea in Malabo.

The group included Calle Schlettwein the Minister of Trade and Industry, Lineekela Mboti, the Namibian Ambassador to Brazil and Anne Mutelo, the  Namibian Ambassador to Ethiopia.

The summit took place from 20 to 23 February and was attended by five heads of state from the eleven countries of South America and around 20 heads of state from Africa.

The main outcomes of the summit held under the theme, “Strategies and mechanisms to promote South-South cooperation”, is the Implementation plan of action for the period 2013 to 2016. Also, the summit produced the Malabo Declaration setting out wide ranging areas of co-operation to promote South-South co-operation between the two continents.  The summit appointed a committee to finalize the ASA Secretariat and its trust fund.

At the summit Hausiku said that the peoples of South America and Africa share a common historical background of waging the struggle for freedom and self-determination.

“Namibia commends the initiative to provide further drive and add momentum to our partnership with the finalisation of the modalities of the strategic presidential committee. This committee will provide the necessary strategic direction and leadership to accelerate the implementation of the projects within our partnership.  Similarly, Namibia welcomes the efforts to institute a workable financial mechanism to fund projects and programmes.”

Haisiku said that long, Africa and South America have remained marginalised for too long and that this situation cannot be allowed to continue.

“We must speak with one voice to advance the common interests of our peoples.”

The next Summit will be hosted by Ecuador in 2016.