CHINA has said it would deepen cooperation with Namibia across energy, agriculture, infrastructure and minerals following a meeting between its president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Chinese leader Xi Jinping during her seven-day state visit last week.
Nandi-Ndaitwah has been seeking Chinese investment to support election pledges to create jobs and diversify Namibia’s economy, said Reuters in its report about the visit.
She said her visit, the first outside Africa since taking office, reflected the strength of the two countries’ relationship, while Xi welcomed the accompanying delegation of Namibian business figures, Reuters reported.
Nandi-Ndaitwah took office in 2025, continuing 34 years of rule by the South West Africa People’s Organisation, which led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990, said Reuters.
The two countries signed eight agreements, including on green minerals and an economic partnership framework.
A joint statement cited plans to expand cooperation on uranium, lithium and rare earths, alongside commitments to boost local processing, technology transfer and skills training.
China buys roughly a quarter of Namibia’s exports, with uranium making up 85% of the $1.3bn in goods purchased last year, according to the IMF. Chinese investment in Namibia totals $4.2bn, almost entirely concentrated in the metals sector, according to the American Enterprise Institute.
