Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, signed an agreement for the construction of a bridge across the Zambezi at Kasangula border post. It was signed last week when Botswana’s president Festus Mogae visited Zimbabwe. The bridge has been listed as a priority project of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). It will stimulate tourism and trade in the SADC region. The three presidents have agreed that the bridge shall be jointly owned even if it is ultimately located in the greater part in the territory of any one of their countries. The memorandum of understanding also provides that any of its parties which may have any outstanding boundary issues shall agree to continue consultations on the demarcation and delimitation of their common boundary at Kasangula. Tender proposals will be provided in due course. No details about funding for the multi-billion dollar bridge were made available.

Desert Soul, a project of the Namibia Red Cross Society, produced 41 episodes of a health and development radio drama series. The series aims to create awareness to educate, whilst entertaining the community on various issues such as HIV/ AIDS, the use of antiretroviral drugs, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and relationships. Produced by the NBC with an entirely Namibian cast of actors, scriptwriters and producers, the project aims to build capacity of Namibians. The English version, was launched the drama series. Translations into Oshiwambo and Silozi will be produced over the next 6 months

No more visas for Angolan trips

The NCCI welcomed the decision by the Cabinet Council of Angola to remove visa requirements for Namibian passport holders when visiting Angola. The Council of Ministers approved the agreement between Namibia and Angola on the exemption of visas for diplomatic, service, and ordinary passports last week. The visa requirement for visiting Namibia nationals was one of the biggest barriers to trade between Namibia and Angola. "This increased the cost of doing business in Angola for Namibian businesspeople. We welcome the decision to do away with this requirement and we look forward to increase our business activities in that country," said NCCI Chief Executive Officer Tarah Shaanika. He emphasised that one of the resolutions of the just ended Annual General Meeting of the Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCCI) in Johannesburg called for the removal of visa requirements for the citizens of SADC member states when travelling to other SADC countries. "It is one of the steps we have to take if we are serious about accelerated regional economic integration", Shaanika explained.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to stimulate better trade with South Africa, has said on his two-day visit in Cape Town this week. Putin is accompanied by a large business delegation of 70 people, led by metals magnate Viktor Vekselberg.

Meetings with local business leaders including Nicky Oppenheimer, head of diamond mining group De Beers took place. It is the first visit to Africa by a Russian leader since the end of World War II. Putin said several "major long-term projects" were discussed in his talks with Thabo Mbeki, including cooperation on metal ore extractions, military technology, and energy. The 2 leaders signed several agreements on cooperation, health, space exploration, and intellectual property rights. Putin announced a deal on expanding nuclear fuel supplies to South Africa’s only atomic energy plant in Koeberg, near Cape Town.

" We agreed on the supply of nuclear fuel to a South African nuclear plant up to the year 2010," he said. "We plan to expand this cooperation and hope our cooperation in nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes will be great in volume and will be oriented on the long-term." Putin left for Morocco on Wednesday amidst speculations that he would stop over in Namibia and Angola en route.

The Anglican Bishop of Harare has cancelled church services for this coming Sunday to mark the occasion of his wedding anniversary and instructed clergy and congregations to contribute gifts and food to his party. Bishop Nolbert Kunonga, a vocal supporter of President Robert Mugabe, will lead the daylong celebration of his 33rd anniversary instead of holding the church service. The party, at a sports centre, will be held at a time when many priests are barely able to survive the hardships of living in Zimbabwe, with its hyperinflation and food shortages, the news service ZimOnline reported this week. Bishop Kunonga was accused last year at an ecclesiastical trial of dozens of charges, including incitement to murder a priest, intimidation and bringing the Church into contempt. But a mistrial was declared when the proceedings collapsed within hours as the accused refused to accept evidence provided by a witness by a video-link to London. He denied the charges brought under Church law and faced no separate criminal charges. Bon Stumbles, the Chancellor of the Harare diocese, described next Sunday’s event as a "wedding spree". "Holding Sunday services seems to have been cast aside in the interests of personal magnification," said Mr Stumbles.