Africa-Press – Namibia. Oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ready to explore new business opportunities in and sign trade agreements with Namibia.
This was confirmed by the visiting UAE minister of foreign trade yesterday.
Speaking at the Namibian-UAE Business Forum in Windhoek yesterday, the UAE minister of foreign trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said “We are ready to start exploring opportunities in Namibia and to sign trade deals, as we have done with other African countries”.
He was accompanied by a delegation, including companies interested in investing in mining, agriculture, logistics, oil and gas, and finance as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Al Zeyoudi said the UAE has strong experience in trade and investment.
He noted that the UAE imports about 65% of its food. Because of this, the country is looking to invest in agriculture abroad to improve its food security. He added that cooperation in oil and gas as well as logistics and transport is also being discussed to improve trade between the two countries. “We look forward to building a strong partnership with Namibia,” he said.
Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi could not agree more, saying Namibia already exports several products to the UAE.
Exports include diamonds, scrap metal, charcoal, precious stones, grapes and frozen fish.
In return, Namibia imports petroleum products, sulphur, fertilisers, machine tools, pipes and tubes. “Diamond and gold have the greatest export potential to the United Arab Emirates,” she said. She invited UAE investors to explore opportunities in Namibia’s diamond cutting and polishing industry. This would help the country add value to its diamonds before exporting them.
Ashipala-Musavyi also called for cooperation in agriculture, agro-processing, irrigation and food value chains. “Namibia is an arid country. Water is a precious resource for us. Affordable and appropriate water technology is very important,” she said.
The minister encouraged partnerships in irrigation systems and modern farming methods to help increase food production. She highlighted improvements at the Port of Walvis Bay, where a new container terminal has increased cargo handling capacity and improved turnaround times through automation.
The port plays a key role in regional trade and connects Namibia to other African countries through various transport corridors.
Namibia is also seeking investment in infrastructure development, including aviation, logistics and energy.
The country is currently exploring oil and gas both offshore and onshore.
Namibia is looking for technical partners to help it become an oil- and gas-producing nation. At the same time, Namibia is making progress in green energy. With abundant sunshine and strong coastal winds, the country has great potential for renewable energy development.To strengthen cooperation, Ashipala-Musavyi proposed the creation of a joint economic commission between Namibia and the UAE. This would help guide future agreements and give structure to the growing partnership.
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