Namibia and Zambia embark on study tour to strengthen registration systems
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security on Monday initiated a five-day study tour with the Zambian National Registration, Passport, and Citizenship Department in Windhoek.
The primary focus of the tour lies in emphasizing the critical aspects of civil registration, vital statistics, and identity management systems.
Welcoming the delegation, Etienne Maritz, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, extended a warm greeting to Brenda Kabemba, Registrar-General of Zambia, and her team.
Maritz in a statement emphasized that the visit signifies a profound milestone in the enduring friendship between the two nations, a bond that was forged during Namibia’s fight for independence.
According to Maritz, since achieving independence, both countries have taken steps to solidify their ties through diplomatic channels. This endeavor led to the establishment of crucial platforms such as the Namibia — Zambia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) on Defence and Security.
The JPC serves as a crucial medium for both nations to collectively address mutual concerns, providing a foundation for collaborative learning and cooperation.
“This long-anticipated visit holds special significance, fulfilling two pivotal commitments in advancing our civil registration systems,” said Maritz adding that it realizes the recommendation 5.3 from the Experts Segment of the Fifth Conference of Ministers responsible for Civil Registration in Africa, advocating for African Union Member States to share insights in implementing digital systems to enhance their Civil Registration and Vital Statistics systems.
Furthermore, he said it carries forward a resolution from the 24th Session of the Zambia-Namibia JPC on Defence and Security, calling for exchange visits between the two civil registration authorities.
Zambia leads the way with this inaugural visit, focused on fortifying registration systems to bolster the recording of vital events in both countries, he added.
Meanwhile, Maritz emphasized that this visit is not solely for Zambia to learn from Namibia, but for mutual learning as comprehensive civil registration holds the key to legal identity for all, he concluded.
