WINDHOEK: Officials from Namibia and Zambia have embarked on a cooperative effort to exchange knowledge and practices concerning civil registration and identity management systems.

According to a new release by Namibia Press Agency, Immigration, Safety and Security Executive Director Etienne Maritz, a Zambian delegation from the Zambia National Registration Authority is currently in Windhoek on a five-day study tour. The visit aims to explore Namibia’s approaches to civil registration, vital statistics systems, and identity management.

Maritz indicated that the visit fulfills a resolution agreed upon during the 24th Session of the Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security, held earlier in April. The purpose of this resolution is to encourage reciprocal visits between the civil registration authorities in Namibia and Zambia, with Zambia initiating the first such visit.

"This visit is therefore not a stand-alone event. It is connected to the bigger picture, which is the advancement of civil registration on this great continent," Maritz noted.

On the Zambian side, Registrar-General Brenda Kabenda expressed her team's intention to learn from Namibia’s experiences in civil registration and identity management. She highlighted the importance of the two countries sharing insights due to their common borders and shared interests.

“I am convinced that during the interactions now and when the Namibian delegation visits Zambia, we will identify opportunities for improved services for our people, especially those who live along our common borders," Kabenda said. She added that the civil registration authority in Zambia is particularly keen on enhancing the certification process for births and deaths in Zambia's Western Province, which borders Namibia’s Zambezi Region.

During their stay, the Zambian delegation plans to visit multiple sites, including the Katutura State Hospital, to observe the process of birth and death registration at a hospital-based civil registration office. They are also slated to visit the Windhoek State Mortuary to learn about the notification and recording of deaths, and The Document Warehouse for insights into the scanning and storage of civil records.