Africa-Press – Namibia. China and Namibia announced an expansion of cooperation in the sectors of energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and minerals during talks in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Namibian President Hage Geingob, who is on a seven-day state visit to China.
Geingob’s visit is part of an effort to secure Chinese investments that will help his government fulfill its electoral commitments, particularly in creating jobs and diversifying the economy in a country facing high unemployment rates and significant social disparities.
The Namibian president stated that her country reaffirms its strong commitment to the long-standing friendship with China, noting that her accompanying delegation includes dozens of businesspeople. Xi remarked that choosing China for her first state visit outside Africa after taking office reflects Namibia’s importance to the relationship between the two countries.
The two sides signed eight cooperation documents, including agreements related to green minerals and a framework for economic partnership, aimed at expanding Chinese-Namibian cooperation in vital areas for the Namibian economy. According to a local source, China expressed its readiness to deepen cooperation with Namibia in infrastructure development, energy, minerals, agriculture, education, youth, and science and technology.
A joint statement confirmed that both sides recognize the strategic value of critical minerals and agreed to enhance cooperation in developing essential minerals such as uranium, lithium, and rare earth elements, focusing on local processing, technology transfer, and skill-building within Namibia.
These agreements are particularly significant as Namibia is a resource-rich country and could become the fourth-largest oil producer in Africa by 2030, following major offshore discoveries by Shell and Total Energies estimated at around 2.6 billion barrels of crude, with plans to commence production.
China is a major market for Namibian exports, accounting for about a quarter of the country’s total exports, according to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund. Among Chinese purchases of Namibian goods, uranium constituted approximately 85% of the $1.3 billion in purchases last year.
