Staff Reporter
THE Vice President, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, emphasised the need for careful consideration of the potential environmental impact of green developments in Namibia.
“According to our recently launched Green Industrialisation Blueprint, these sustainable new industrial complexes may offer compelling opportunities to create new jobs, diversify our economic output, and even augment our electricity and clean water production. However, like all industrial complexes of significant scale, careful attention needs to be paid to their potential footprint on our precious flora and fauna. Namibia is committed to ensuring that a fair balance is struck between economic development and ecological preservation,” she said.
The Vice President made these remarks at the Global African Hydrogen Summit, which is taking place in Windhoek this week. The summit, which has attracted over 1 000 delegates from around the world, aims to foster discussions on green hydrogen development.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia is uniquely positioned to host a thriving green industrialisation ecosystem, thanks to the country’s “rich and welcoming” environment.
“To give you a brief synopsis of why I say so: Namibia has rich deposits of the minerals required to build clean industries, such as critical rare earth elements and lithium. We also help our Zambian neighbours trade their copper, a key ingredient for sustainable industries, with global markets,” the Vice President explained.
She further mentioned that Namibia boasts excellent wind and solar resources and is planning to expand its port and rail infrastructure to support wider trade in low-carbon goods.
“Lastly, we have the space, a progressive immigration system, and a young and developing workforce, which makes Namibia an ideal location to house some of these new and emerging industries. In a nutshell, Namibia is open for business that will make a meaningful impact on our development as it benefits the investor. Therefore, you are all welcome to explore all the possibilities,” she added.
However, the Vice President underscored that despite the advantages of the growing green hydrogen sector, safeguarding the environment that supports these developments should also be a priority.
