Staff Reporter
Africa-Press – Namibia. PRESIDENT Hage Geingob will host the President of the Republic of Finland, President Sauli Niinistö, for a State Visit on Thursday and Friday.
President Niinistö will be accompanied by a business delegation with representatives from various business sectors in Finland. This will be Finland’s first State Visit to Namibia since 2011.
According to the Namibian Presidency’s Spokesperson, Dr Alfredo Hengari, the purpose of the visit is to discuss how Namibia and Finland can work together to leverage smart, secure and sustainable solutions to promote the green transition and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The visit, Hengari added, also aims to enhance bilateral trade between Namibia and Finland.
“The specific outcomes envisaged are: strengthening business partnerships between the two countries to promote trade and investment in key sectors; identifying sectors that hold the most potential to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Namibia; and generating export potential for Namibian-Finnish goods and services into Finland,” the spokesperson said.
Hengari revealed that Finland is among Namibia’s top 20 trading partners.
“Namibia’s overall exports to the Finnish market totalled N$1.8 billion from the N$785.0 million recorded in 2021.On the other hand, Namibia’s imports from Finland increased to N$1.1 billion in 2022 from N$388.6 million recorded the previous year,” he explained.
He added that Finland is also a major international partner of Namibia on a variety of global problems. This, Hengari said, includes improving multilateralism, international law, peacebuilding and mediation, gender and human rights advances, and renewable energy challenges.
Hengari revealed that the two presidents will also discuss the global political situation and global challenges. He added that President Geingob will also engage Finland within the framework of bilateral cooperation and the Africa Strategy of Finland.
“Finland funded various programmes on sustainable water management within the context of SADC cooperation. The visit is part of Finland’s engagement with Africa and is part of its strategic goal of growing connections with Africa, which includes extending its diplomatic presence, supporting the African Agenda, and boosting commercial links,” Hengari explained.
Besides the official talks, President Niinistö will lay a wreath in honour of Namibia’s heroes and heroines at the Heroes’ Acre on Thursday. This will be followed by a meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Prof Peter Katjavivi, on Friday.
President Niinistö will also participate in a business seminar on Friday. The seminar, which will take place in Windhoek, will be held under the theme “Accelerating implementation of the 4th Industrial Revolution by leveraging partnerships and innovation to promote the green transition for job creation and eradication of poverty and advancing policy reforms to enhance integrated solutions for sustainable and inclusive growth in Namibia”.
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