Windhoek, Namibia, hosted the Russian-Namibian Business Forum, held as part of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. The event was organised at the initiative of the Namibian side and under the direction of Yury Trutnev, Russian co-chair of the Intergovernmental Commission’s Russian section, Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District.
Yury Trutnev visited Windhoek, Namibia, and took part in the Russian-Namibian Business Forum, as part of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation
Yury Trutnev visited Windhoek, Namibia, and took part in the Russian-Namibian Business Forum, as part of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. With Minister of International Relations and Trade of the Republic of Namibia – Co-Chair of the Namibian Section of the Intergovernmental Commission Selma Ashipala-Musavyi
Yury Trutnev visited Windhoek, Namibia, and took part in the Russian-Namibian Business Forum, as part of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation
“Our countries share a strong and long-standing friendship. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union was one of the few states to provide practical support to the Namibian people in their struggle for independence. I believe we must never forget this. Friendship that has withstood the test of time forms a reliable foundation for our future relations. Today’s relationship is no less important. The world is experiencing a series of conflicts: the Russian Federation continues its special military operation, and instability persists in the Middle East and other regions. We are aware that Namibia supports Russia’s position in UN votes. Together, we oppose the spread of Nazism and actively advance disarmament initiatives. The current forum is primarily focused on business dialogue. It is clear that the development of economic ties contributes to preserving and strengthening the friendship between our countries,” Yury Trutnev said in his opening remarks.
The forum was co-organised by the Ministry of International Relations and Trade of Namibia, the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Russian Corporation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic, and the Roscongress Foundation, with support from the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.
Minister of International Relations and Trade of the Republic of Namibia and co-chair of the Namibian side of the Commission, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, highlighted the growing momentum in bilateral relations and the two countries’ commitment to deepening economic cooperation, trade and investment.
“Today’s Business Forum marks an important milestone in Namibian–Russian relations. For decades, our countries have maintained strong diplomatic ties based on solidarity, mutual respect and shared expectations for future development. Historically, political relations between Namibia and Russia have been strategic. However, I cannot say the same about our economic and trade relations. Our task today is to build on this foundation and translate political will into practical economic partnerships, investment and industrial cooperation,” Selma Ashipala-Musavyi said.
The Russian-Namibian Business Forum has become a discussion platform aimed at promoting and consolidating the trade and investment partnerships between Russia and Namibia. The event brought together representatives of more than 20 Russian companies, including Rosatom, VEB.RF, Rostekh, Nord Gold, and Uralkali, as well as those of more than 70 Namibian companies.
“I would like to thank the Russian Federation participants who travelled long distances to attend the fourm. We are also grateful to business representatives from Namibia for their commitment to promoting relations with our country. I would also like to emphasise that Russia has sent a highly representative delegation. Today’s meeting is taking place is being held as part of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. It is clear that the current level of economic cooperation, reflected in the trade turnover of $18.4, cannot be considered sufficient. However, trade between our countries has been growing in recent years. I am confident that we can find opportunities for collaboration in such sectors as energy, high technologies, mining, oil and gas chemistry, finances, and agriculture,” Yury Trutnev said.
Government officials and business representatives from both countries discussed practical aspects and prospects for expanding interaction in trade, energy, geological exploration, investment, transport and logistics, the agricultural industry, high technologies, and other prioritised areas of bilateral cooperation.
During the plenary session on Russia-Namibia trade and investment partnership, VEB.RF Deputy Chair Artyom Dovlatov noted that there was good potential for bilateral business advancement and underscored the importance of financial mechanisms for practical implementation.
“Russian businesses are ready to share solutions in areas where Russia has achieved significant progress and possesses widely recognised expertise. As for VEB.RF, our task is to help implement the business agreements that will be reached,” he said.
Particular attention was also given to cooperation in the field of education. Currently, more than 220 students from Namibia are studying at Russian universities. According to Yury Trutnev, this will contribute to strengthening bilateral cooperation and support the training of qualified Namibian specialists, especially in high-demand engineering and technological fields.
“Promoting economic ties, as we see it, is not only about interactions between commercial organisations. Strengthening friendship between countries is also of great importance. This is why the Government of the Russian Federation will support this work in every way. The foundation of our partnership is mutual trust and respect for each other, although economic cooperation is also very important. In this regard, Russia and Namibia have always held similar positions,” Yury Trutnev concluded.
