JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
ISSUED ON
THE OCCASSION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO
THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA BY
HIS EXCELLENCY, KIM YONG NAM, PRESIDENT OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK)
20 – 23 MARCH 2008


I .Comrade Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) paid an official goodwill visit to the Republic of Namibia from October 20 to 23, 2008 at the kind invitation of H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the Republic of Namibia.

II .During his visit, President Kim Yong Nam held talks with H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba and paid a courtesy call on H.E. Cde. Sam Nujoma, the Founding President of the Republic of Namibia. He and his delegation attended the events of 18th Independence anniversary of Namibia and the opening ceremony of the State House – a project supported by the Mansudae Overseas Development Group, laid a wreath before the Heroes’ Acre and visited several places in Windhoek.

III .The talks were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere. Both sides briefed each other of their respective situations and exchanged wide-range of views on further expanding and developing the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and the Republic of Namibia as well as on other regional and international issues of common concern.

IV .Both sides expressed satisfaction with the fact that the relations between the two countries, which had been cultivated into the inseparable bonds of friendship by the great leader of the Korean people President KIM IL SUNG and respected H.E. Cde. Sam Nujoma, continued to grow from strength to strength thanks to the common concerns and of joint efforts by the two leaders and peoples in the new century.

V .The DPRK side congratulated the Government and the people of Namibia celebrating the 18th anniversary of Independence on the great successes in their efforts for achieving the country’s progress and prosperity and highly appreciated a positive role played by the Republic of Namibia in the UN, NAM, AU and other international fora.

The DPRK side wished the friendly Namibian people greater successes in their efforts to consolidate the political independence of the country and accomplish the socio-economic development under the wise leadership of H.E. Cde.Hifikepunye Pohamba and the SWAPO Party.

VI .The Namibian side congratulated the Korean people on the achievements made in the areas of building a great, prosperous and powerful nation, advancing the cause of national reunification and foreign relations under the Songun leadership of the great leader Comrade KIM JONG IL. In particular, it hailed the historic inter-Korean summit meeting held in Pyongyang in October, 2007 as well as the publication of the October 4 North-South Declaration and sincerely wished the Korean people successes in the struggle to accomplish the independent reunification of the country through the joint efforts of the nation . It also highly appreciated an important contribution made by the DPRK to ensuring peace and security in the Korean peninsula and the rest of the northeast Asian region.

VII .Both sides stressed the need and desire to energize the exchange of delegations and give an extensive boost to mutually beneficial cooperation in politics, economy, culture and other areas by giving full play to all capabilities and potentials.
In this spirit, they signed the Agreement on Cooperation in the Fields of Public Health and Traditional Medicines and MOU on Diplomatic Consultations between the two Foreign Ministries. They also agreed to continue to positively explore new areas of cooperation in other sectors.

VIII .Referring to the regional and international issues, both sides highly appreciated the efforts made by the African Union to put an end to disputes in Africa and achieve the unity and common prosperity of the region and shared the understanding on a series of issues including the UN reform and human rights. They also agreed to further intensify mutual support and solidarity in the UN, NAM and other international fora.

IX .Both sides agreed to exert joint efforts for building a new, independent, peaceful and thriving world and to boost mutual support and cooperation in the UN, AU, NAM and other international organizations as well as on the international fora.

X . Both sides voiced satisfaction with the result of the official goodwill visit to the Republic of Namibia by Comrade Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK and expressed conviction that the visit would make an important milestone in deepening the feelings of friendship between the two peoples and giving a fresh impetus to the bilateral relations.

XI . During the visit, Comrade Kim Yong Nam expressed heartfelt thanks to H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the Government and the people of Namibia for their warm and kind hospitality and invited H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba to pay an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at his convenient time.
The Invitation was graciously accepted, and it was agreed to determine the specific timing of visit through a diplomatic channel.



March, 2008

Windhoek