Sun 23 Mar 2008, 16:43 GMT [-] Text [+] WINDHOEK, March 23 (Reuters) - North Korea's number two leader ended a trip to Namibia, a leading uranium producer, on Sunday saying he would strengthen ties with the country.
North Korea, under pressure to declare its nuclear programmes, and Namibia said they signed a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic consultations.
Kim Yong-nam, president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, started an African tour on Thursday in Namibia, the world's fifth-largest uranium miner.
In a joint statement issued by Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba's office, the countries "expressed satisfaction" that their ties have grown.
North Korea watchers said the search for business was the focus of the impoverished country's diplomacy and would be an important part of the visit to Africa, which will also take Kim to Angola and Uganda.
Namibia recently announced it would develop plans to enrich locally mined uranium in conjunction with the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Officials from the southern African nation declined to say if cooperation on uranium enrichment was discussed with North Korea.
The top U.S. negotiator with North Korea said this week that Pyongyang was not yet ready to provide an accurate description of its nuclear programmes but he expected it to do so eventually.
A 2005 accord under which North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear programmes in exchange for economic and diplomatic benefits has stalled because of Pyongyang's failure to produce a declaration of its nuclear programmes by the end of last year. (Reporting by John Grobler, writing by Michael Georgy; editing by Tim Pearce) (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)
