Green hydrogen strengthens EU-Namibia relations

Namibia’s green hydrogen project is proving to be a catalyst for strengthening ties between the European Union (EU) and Namibia.

This collaboration is set to foster increased trade and investment opportunities between the two entities.

This was said by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board’s chief executive, Nangula Uaandja, at the 2023 EU-Namibia Business Forum press conference on Tuesday.

Uaandja said: “We are proud and excited to have the EU as a partner. That partnership was specifically cemented at the highest level in the area of green hydrogen and critical raw materials.

“Even after Namibia was declared as a middle-income nation and witnessed the departure of several partners and aid support, we have seen the continued presence and support of the EU.”

Uaandja said there is a need for diversification and the avoidance of reliance solely on exporting raw materials.

“In Namibia, there is the potential risk of remaining a small country solely focused on exporting raw materials without fully capitalising on the entire value chain.

“Both governments have put in place an implementation plan aimed at ensuring mutual benefits and specifically Namibia’s capacity to reap real benefits along the value chain,” said Uaandja.

The EU’s charge d’affaires and deputy head of the mission for the forum, Gosia Lachut, said the forum’s primary focus is to pave the way for trade and investment collaboration between Namibia and EU member states.

“The first-ever forum will focus on green energy and critical raw materials, and will be targeting EU companies in the downstream industries and value addition activities in green hydrogen and critical raw materials.”

Lachut highlighted the current trade relations between Namibia and the EU, saying the EU is one of Namibia’s most significant trade partners, accounting for 21,6% of Namibia’s exports and 13,6% of its imports.

The forum will be taking place from 24 to 25 October in Brussels, Belgium, under the theme ‘Mobilising Quality Investment and Value Addition for Green Growth in the EU-Namibia Partnership’.

According to Lachut, a key objective of the business forum is to bolster Namibia’s efforts to attract European foreign direct investment.

It is hoped that this initiative would also stimulate joint ventures aimed at expanding green hydrogen production capacity and the development of downstream products.

The 2023 EU-Namibia Business Forum builds on the agreement signed between president Hage Geingob and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in 2022, establishing a strategic partnership between the EU and Namibia.