Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening diplomatic, economic and trade relations with both Russia and Egypt, as Minister of International Relations and Trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi held high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo, Egypt.
Ashipala-Musavyi met with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, 19 December 2025, during the conference, which brings together ministers from more than 50 African countries, alongside representatives of regional organisations. The two-day forum, hosted by Egypt on 19 and 20 December, focuses on deepening cooperation between Russia and Africa in areas such as trade, investment, peace and security.
Photos: Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation-Namibia
Prior to the meeting with Lavrov, the Namibian minister also held discussions with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, on Thursday, 18 December 2025, shortly after arriving in Cairo to attend the forum. The engagement covered issues of mutual interest and explored opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations between Namibia and Egypt.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conference builds on outcomes of the inaugural ministerial meeting held in Sochi, Russia, in November 2024. The agenda includes discussions on economic and investment cooperation, regional stability, and development partnerships, as well as a presentation by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development.
Ahead of the conference, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov published an article highlighting Russia’s approach to Africa, stating that Moscow does not regard the continent merely as a source of raw materials. He emphasised that Russia’s partnership with African states is aimed at developing local capacities through joint investment and mutually beneficial projects.
Namibia’s participation in the forum underscores its broader foreign policy objective of expanding international partnerships that support economic development, trade growth and regional stability.
