Namibia is a country in Southern Africa, distinguished by the Namib desert along its Atlantic ocean coast. More than twice the size of Germany, it is sparsely populated with a population of just 2.6 million and known for its commitment to biodiversity and wildlife conservation.
Namibia is a stable democracy and an upper middle-income country since 2009. However, its upper middle income country status masks high socio-economic inequality and environmental challenges. Namibia is mainly dependent on commodity exports (diamonds, uranium) and tourism. Its economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and price shocks from the war in Ukraine. In the medium term, efforts to diversify the economy will include green energy and mining.
Our partnership
The EU supports Namibia’s green recovery, in line with Namibia’s “Vision 2030”, the “Harambee Prosperity Plan II” and the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy. Our action builds on Namibia’s strategic location and its commitment to the twin green and digital transition. Namibia’s renewable energy and green hydrogen ambitions could become an economic game-changer in the medium term, spurring green industrialisation and the development of a logistics hub for Southern Africa through the port of Walvis Bay.
A significant development in EU-Namibia relations was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains and renewable hydrogen at COP 27 in Egypt in November 2022.
Team Europe in Namibia brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland, through the Team Europe Initiative on Inclusive Green Growth.
The EU adopted a Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for the period 2021-27 under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe). Under that framework, the EU allocated €37 million in grant funding towards the partnership with Namibia for 2021-24. Namibia also benefits from a number of multi-country EU programmes.
- 8 MARCH 2022
- 14 NOVEMBER 2023
- 12 DECEMBER 2022
- 12 MAY 2015
Our flagship initiatives
- Inclusive Green Growth
Team Europe supports Namibia’s just green transition as per the political priorities of the EU-Namibia strategic partnership. To boost investment and employment opportunities in three priority sectors for Namibia: renewable energy; green hydrogen and raw materials; water and climate resilience. The Team Europe Initiative focuses on:
- Renewable energy: reducing Namibia’s reliance on imported electricity (about 60%) and increasing energy access for Namibians, especially in rural areas. Contribute to Government of Namibia’s target to add 100 MW of energy from renewable sources and decarbonise its economy by 91% by 2030.
- Green Industrialisation: Support development of renewable hydrogen and critical raw materials value chains through strategic investments together with EU companies, local value addition, capacity building, policy advice, technology transfer and skills development.
- Water and climate resilience: facilitateinvestments to increase inclusive access to water and sanitation services.
- Governance/Standards: support business environment and investment climate reforms, improved energy and water sector governance and encouraging private investments. Support alignment to EU and international environmental, social and governance standards, including on renewables, hydrogen and CRM.
- Transport
The national TEI on inclusive green growth will be reinforced by investments in a strategical regional transport corridor, linking Maputo, Gaborone and Walvis Bay (one of the EU-Africa strategic corridors). Team Europe together with the port of Antwerp-Bruges are providing expertise to Namport towards a master plan study and digitalisation strategy for the port of Walvis Bay. Namport, in cooperation with the port of Rotterdam and the Dutch Government has commissioned a feasibility study for the expansion of the port of Lüderitz.
- Education and Youth
To support Namibia’s efforts towards economic diversification as well as tackling high levels of inequality and unemployment.
- Early Childhood Development (ECD): €16 million budget support programme: increase access to ECD facilities (including in remote areas); support school feeding programme for vulnerable groups at ECD centres; strengthen quality of ECD offer through teacher training; improve institutional governance and coordination.
- TVET: To equip formal and informal Namibian workers, including women and youth, with the relevant skills and qualifications necessary to participate in the green hydrogen and renewable energy industries. The renewable hydrogen sector could mobilise up to €9 billion in investments (equal to Namibia’s GDP) and create up to 80,000 jobs by 2030.
- Governance/Gender equality: Support Namibia’s civil society to strengthen its engagement in governance and green growth, especially in the new areas of renewable hydrogen, mining and oil & gas. Strengthening governance and the fight against gender-based violence through support to Namibia’s Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ministry of Gender Equality.