Staff Reporter
AS part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one-day visit to Namibia, ministers from India and Namibia gathered at State House today for high-level discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries across key sectors.
The meeting took place prior to the Prime Minister’s official talks with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. During the meeting, ministers from both governments exchanged views and proposals aimed at expanding partnerships.
India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, described the Prime Minister’s visit as a significant step towards enhancing South-South cooperation in a tangible and impactful manner.
“We are living in a world where it is important for countries of the South to look out for themselves. I think we have to be realistic about the direction in which the world is moving, and those of us who have that feeling for each other, that very strong bond, and who have that willingness to share – I think it’s incumbent on us to do more of that. With the Prime Minister’s visit with Her Excellency, we hope that much of that will be given practical shape,” Jaishankar said.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, welcomed Jaishankar’s remarks, reaffirming the strength of the existing Namibia–India relationship. She highlighted that while bilateral ties are already well established, discussions are underway to expand cooperation in various areas, including health, education, and information technology.
Focusing on India’s support in Namibia’s health sector, the Minister of Health, Dr Esperance Luvindao, expressed gratitude for India’s assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, but emphasised that Namibia and India’s relationship in the health sector extends beyond that support. She pointed to existing partnerships in medical training, education, and research, and highlighted Namibia’s interest in India’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.
“We are looking forward to exploring further areas of cooperation, particularly in health and medicine, and there we are really looking at a few MoUs ( Memorandum of Understandings) that we have on the table – exploring, in particular, the strength that India has in terms of manufacturing pharmaceuticals. We’ve had the conversation with various people, from the ambassador to the minister already. We look forward to signing this particular umbrella MoU that speaks to health and medicine broadly, and then expanding that, particularly looking at direct procurement, as we had previously discussed. Namibia has made great strides in other areas such as primary healthcare, as well as the Abuja Declaration, which we have spoken about time and time again. However, we look forward to exploring further once this MoU is signed, drawing from the strengths of our Indian counterparts and learning from where you have excelled,” Luvindao said.
Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, also expressed enthusiasm for increased collaboration, particularly in cultural and educational exchanges, including theoretical dance, drama, archaeology, and archival record management.
“This is still under discussion, and we look forward to, once it’s been internalised and discussed, eventually signing that Memorandum of Understanding,” Steenkamp added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, highlighted that Namibia and India are close to finalising an MoU on digital solutions. She also expressed Namibia’s interest in further cooperation on cybersecurity, leveraging India’s advanced digital infrastructure. Additionally, she noted the country’s eagerness to learn from India’s initiatives in data protection and privacy.
