Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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The Russia-Namibia Business Forum was held in Windhoek, Namibia, as part of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. The event was organized at the suggestion of the Namibian side and at the instruction of Yuri Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District and Chairman of the Russian side of the Intergovernmental Commission.
"Our countries are bound by a strong and long-standing friendship. Beginning in the 1960s, the USSR was one of the few countries that tangibly assisted the Namibian people in their liberation struggle. I believe we have no right to forget this. It is precisely this time-tested friendship that can serve as a reliable foundation for future relations. However, current relations are no less important. A number of conflicts are raging around the world. The Russian Federation continues its special military operation, and the situation in the Middle East and several other regions remains unstable. We know that Namibia supports the Russian Federation's position in UN voting. Together, we oppose the spread of Nazism and actively promote disarmament issues. Today's forum is primarily dedicated to business dialogue. Clearly, developing economic ties contributes to the preservation and development of friendship between our countries," Yuri Trutnev opened the business forum.
The forum was co-organized by the Ministry of International Relations and Trade of Namibia, the Namibia Investment and Development Promotion Board (NIPDB), the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, and the Roscongress Foundation, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.
Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Trade, Co-Chair of the Namibian Intergovernmental Commission, Selma Ashipala-Musawyi, noted the growing momentum in bilateral relations and the two countries' commitment to deepening economic cooperation, developing trade, and investment. "Today's business forum represents an important milestone in relations between Namibia and Russia. For decades, our countries have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations based on solidarity, mutual respect, and shared expectations for further development. Historically, the political relationship between Namibia and Russia has been strategic. However, the same cannot be said of our economic and trade relations. Our task today is to develop relations on this foundation and translate political will into practical economic partnership, investment, and industrial cooperation," Ashipala-Musawyi emphasized.
The Russia-Namibia Business Forum served as a discussion platform aimed at developing and strengthening the trade and investment partnership between Russia and Namibia. Representatives of over 20 Russian companies attended the event, including Rosatom, VEB.RF, Rostec, Nord Gold, and Uralkali. Representatives of over 70 Namibian companies also participated.
"I would like to thank the participants from the Russian Federation, who have come a long way. We are also grateful to the Namibian business community for their attention to developing relations with our country. I would like to emphasize that the Russian delegation is very representative. Our meeting today is being held as part of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. Clearly, the level of economic cooperation, reflected in the $18.4 million in trade turnover, cannot be considered sufficient. At the same time, if we look at trends, the volume of trade between our countries has been growing in recent years. I am confident that we will be able to find opportunities for cooperation in energy, high technology, mining, petrochemicals, finance, and the agro-industrial sector," said Yuri Trutnev.
Representatives of government and business circles from both countries discussed practical aspects and prospects for expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, geological exploration, investment, transport and logistics, agro-industrial complex, high technology, and other priority areas of bilateral cooperation.
At the forum's plenary session dedicated to developing trade and investment partnerships between Russia and Namibia, Artem Dovlatov, Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF, noted the high potential for bilateral business development and the importance of financial mechanisms for practical implementation. "Russian businesses are ready to share solutions with Namibia in areas where Russia has clear expertise and proven experience. VEB's task is to assist in the implementation of the business agreements reached," Dovlatov stated.
Particular attention was paid to developing cooperation in education. Over 220 Namibians are studying at Russian universities. According to Yuri Trutnev, this will further facilitate the expansion of cooperation in this area and support the targeted training of Namibian personnel, primarily in in-demand engineering and technical fields.
"For us, developing economic contacts is not just a matter of cooperation between commercial organizations; it's also crucial for fostering friendship between countries. Therefore, the Government of the Russian Federation will support this work in every possible way. While economic cooperation is of great importance, the foundation is ultimately trust and mutual respect between countries. In this regard, Russia and Namibia have always held very close positions," concluded Yuri Trutnev.
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