Africa-Press – Namibia. President Hage Geingob said that it is an insult to assume that Namibia will get “re-colonised” by developed countries that invest in Namibia’s energy sector.
“It’s an insult to us. Because if we struggled against South Africa and fought for our independence, why are we going to allow China, as people think, to re-colonise us? You are wasting your time,” he said.
President Geingob said this during a joint press briefing with the President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö. This was his response when asked whether there is a risk of “re-colonisation” by bigger powers who invest in the country’s energy sector. The joint press briefing, which is part of President Niinistö’s state visit to Namibia, came after the two presidents engaged in official talks.
During the official talks, President Niinistö said that Finnish companies are “surely interested” in investing in Namibia’s energy production projects. This is after the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, highlighted Namibia’s recent oil discoveries and green hydrogen program as some of the areas that Finland might want to invest in.
He explained that Namibia is embracing both fossil fuels and renewable energy, emphasising that such a move should not be seen as a contradiction. According to him, countries should be allowed to make use of and actually benefit from the resources they have.
While acknowledging that it is a complex combination, President Niinistö said that Finnish companies are “surely interested in both” fossil fuels and green hydrogen production.
“They (the business delegation) wouldn’t be here if they weren’t interested. So, they’re here,” he assured. However, he added, their interest is possibly more geared towards hydrogen production.
Besides this, President Niinistö suggested that Namibia should also consider exploring wave energy as it could be very fruitful for the country.
These topics will be further discussed tomorrow during a business meeting between President Geingob and President Niinistö and his business delegation.
“We are looking forward to tomorrow’s business meeting. It is my hope that the many investment and business opportunities Namibia has to offer, especially in the area of renewable energy, connectivity, digitalisation, and blue/green economy, will entice you and your delegation,” Geingob said.
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