Among the exported goods from Namibia, rough diamonds valued at over N$1.5 billion (US$106 million) left the country for Belgium during 2020, with polished diamonds accounting for approximately N$80 million (US$5.4 million).
The local economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals such as diamonds for export.
Besides Belgium, Namibia exports diamonds to several countries including the UK, South Africa, France, Japan and Spain.
In 2016, the birth of Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) enabled Namibia to determine the value of her diamonds and contribute to her socio-economic development. With diamonds representing an important pillar of the relations between Namibia and Belgium, during the last working meeting to Belgium, President Hage Geingob visited the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.
The city of Antwerp, with a diamond industry established in the 15th century, today accounts for over 80% of the world’s rough diamonds, generating an annual turnover of approximately N$510.9 billion (30 billion euros). Geingob also paid a courtesy visit to King Phillipe of Belgium, aimed at strengthening cooperation with the port of Antwerp and Belgian companies in the energy and diamond sectors.
As part of the investment drive in the diamond sector, Geingob said he learned with pride about the level of prestige Namibian diamonds enjoyed in Antwerp, a world-class diamond centre.
However, he reminded investors that the Namibian government believes strongly in a win-win partnership in the industry, and with a strong focus on beneficiation and job creation. Geingob said Namibia was a peaceful country, with a robust governance architecture, based on the constitution and the rule of law.
“Therefore, investments were safe and guaranteed by a world-class legal framework,” he assured them.
As part of the official visit to Belgium to participate in the sixth AU-EU Summit, Geingob on 15 February paid a courtesy visit to King Philippe of Belgium at the Royal Palace.
During that visit, the two Heads of State recalled the longstanding friendship that exists between Namibia and Belgium, specifically when Swapo hosted its first meeting in Western Europe in Brussels during 1972.
Geingob expressed satisfaction with the growing partnership with Belgium, with significant investments by Belgian companies in the leisure and energy sectors.
Following the meeting with King Philippe, he held a meeting on the same day with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel.
The two leaders emphasised the importance of a deeper and more equal partnership between Africa and Europe, one that respects the specific needs of the two continents, as well as stressed the need for peace and stability as a precondition for development.
On Wednesday, President Geingob was received at the port of Antwerp by the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander de Croo. The visit to the port forms part of the logistics hub strategy and the green hydrogen strategy of the Namibian government.
Therefore, the visit also aimed to see a presentation on the strategy of the Port of Antwerp to develop a green hydrogen economy as part of the energy transition.
Geingob and De Croo were taken through the green hydrogen investments of the Belgian company CMB.Tech, which is making an initial investment of over N$300 million in the Erongo region to develop green hydrogen resources, alongside Namibian partners.
On 18 to 19 February, Geingob will participate in the AU-EU summit.
On the margins of the summit, with a strong focus on development cooperation, the Namibian leader will hold bilateral meetings with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Prime Minister of Malta, Robert Abela and the Prime Minister of The Netherlands, Mark Rutte.
–anakale@nepc.com.na