The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) and Botswana Defence Force (BDF) on Thursday officially kicked off with the joint military exercise called Hanganee Two, which is being held in the Omaheke Region.

The exercise, under the theme ‘Enhancing Joint Cooperation’, runs from 15 to 30 June 2023.

Speaking during the official opening of Hanganee Two, NDF Chief, Air Marshal Martin Kambulu Pinehas said the exercise follows the recent signing of the Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) on military cooperation and collaboration between the BDF and the NDF.

“The joint training exercise is aimed at strengthening military to military strategic partnership between the NDF and BDF and it comes through as part of the implementation of resolutions for the 22nd Session of the Republic of Botswana and Republic of Namibia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS) held in Gaborone in 2012,” he said.

The exercise is a biannual event and is conducted every two years on a rotational basis on a shared responsibility between the two armed forces.

Pinehas further stated that the exercise was first conducted in Botswana in 2014, however, the continuity in hosting the exercise was disrupted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said with the world emerging from the pandemic, the two sister defence forces agreed to resuscitate the exercise.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency