On 24-25 January 2023, Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, and the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, will visit Southern Africa to enhance ties between the EU and Namibia. This high-level mission from the EU will celebrate 33 years of EU-Namibia Partnership, m arking the anniversary of the country’s founding in 1990.
During the visit, both Commissioners will meet President Geingob, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Nandi-Ndeitwah, to exchange on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of shared interests and enhanced cooperation under Global Gateway, the EU’s strategy for delivering trusted and sustainable connections with partner countries.
The visit builds on President von der Leyen’s and President Geingob’s signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the EU-Namibia Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials and Renewable Hydrogen in November 2022 at COP27. This partnership will support both the EU and Namibia’s climate ambitions and bring value added to the local economy.
During the visit, Commissioner Urpilainen will launch the EU-Namibia Annual Action Plan 2022, framing core actions for EU-Namibia cooperation. Commissioner Urpilainen will also meet with the private sector and civil society organisations during the mission. She will then travel onwards to South Africa for the South Africa – EU Ministerial in Pretoria on 26-27 January 2022.
Commissioner Breton will visit several business operations relevant to the EU-Namibia partnership, including the AfriTin Minining company and Namibia’s main port in Walvis Bay, where he will tour the site and talk to companies working on green hydrogen transport capacities. He will also participate in a Roundtable with the Namibian Minister of Mines and Energy as well as business and civil society representatives to discuss the implementations of the EU-Namibia Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains and Renewable Hydrogen.
