Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins, has reaffirmed the EU’s partnership with Namibia, highlighting that the EU has committed €1.3 billion in grants and loans to the country, alongside up to €20 billion in prospective European private investment in development.
“The EU has been Namibia’s partner for over 35 years. Together with our Member States, we remain Namibia’s largest trading and development partner. Our ties have entered a new, transformative phase with the Strategic Partnership on Green Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials, where we are seeing concrete delivery. Together, as Team Europe, we have committed €1.3 billion in grants and loans, with up to €20 billion in potential European private investment in the pipeline,” she said.
PICTURED: H.E. Mrs Ana Beatriz Martins, Ambassador of the European Union to Namibia.
Martins made the remarks during the 2025 EU–Namibia Partnership Dialogue held this week, which brought together senior representatives from Namibian ministries, offices, and agencies, the EU Delegation, and EU Member States. The meeting was co-chaired by Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Ambassador Martins.
The EU Ambassador emphasised that the EU’s relationship with Namibia is not only long-standing but also remains the country’s most diversified trading partnership. She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to being a reliable trade partner, particularly in light of the shared values between the two parties.
“We do not say it often enough, but the European Union remains Namibia’s largest export market, its third-largest source of imports, and its most diversified trading partner. Our Economic Partnership Agreement offers duty- and quota-free access to the EU market, which Namibia has been able to use to its advantage – maintaining a consistently positive trade balance,” Martins added.
According to her, EU–Namibia relations have entered a new and transformative phase, especially due to the Strategic Partnership on Green Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials.
“The Strategic Partnership on Green Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials, launched in 2022, has placed our relationship on a new level. It also demonstrates what we can achieve together when we join forces. Projects like HyIron, supported under the Global Gateway Strategy, are not only pioneering green industrialisation, but are also creating jobs for Namibians, advancing technology, and placing Namibia at the forefront of a sustainable global energy future,” she said.
However, she emphasised that the EU’s support in Namibia extends beyond these sectors, encompassing early childhood education, vocational training for youth, the promotion of gender equality, and collaborative efforts to enhance transparency and combat corruption and organised crime.
“We also stand with Namibia in early childhood education, governance, and the fight against gender-based violence. Above all, we are bound by shared values of human rights, the rule of law, and multilateralism,” she added.
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