Windhoek
The Namibian government has explained to the United Nations (UN) that it was not fully aware that many multimillion dollar contracts it awarded to North Korea were linked to premier arms dealer, North Korea’s Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID), which has been targeted for UN sanctions.
In confidential UN documents seen by New Era, a Namibian panel which appeared before the UN committee on sanctions in New York in April, said Namibia awarded most of the military contracts to Mansudae Overseas Projects (MOP), now widely believed to have been an alias used to disguise KOMID’s true identity.
Government yesterday announced it has terminated the services of both MOP and KOMID as long as UN sanctions against North Korea remain in force.
This follows meetings last weekend between President Hage Geingob’s special envoy, International Relations Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and senior North Korean political figures in Pyongyang related to the activities of the East Asian country in Namibia.
Government’s decision to terminate the services offered by the two North Korean companies leaves some projects hanging in the balance, such as the construction of the defence ministry’s headquarters for an estimated N$600 million.
The construction of the headquarters – sub-contracted to the North Koreans by government-owned company August 26 Holdings – was expected to be completed during the 2017/2018 financial year, but that deadline might have to be pushed forward under the changed circumstances.
Relations between the two countries remain cordial and the meetings in Pyongyang were characterised by an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, government officials said yesterday.
Several military projects between Namibia and North Korean companies, KOMID and MOP, are said to be in defiance of the UN Security Council, which banned, among others, any technology transfer or training between the Asian country and UN member countries that could be used for military purposes.
The Namibian government defended itself by stating that many contracts with North Korea were entered into before such sanctions were announced. The Ministry of International Relations yesterday said in a statement that the decision to terminate the services of KOMID and MOP was in keeping with international law and the country’s treaty obligations – as dictated by the UN in this particular case.
“KOMID reportedly conducted business activities in Namibia until early 2015, including the construction of a munitions factory at Leopard Valley, in the Windhoek area, in cooperation with, or using the alias of, Mansudae Overseas Project Group companies,” states the UN document.
“Namibia confirmed that Mansudae was involved in several military construction projects, including the military academy and the ongoing construction of the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence. It (Namibia) denied knowledge of links between Mansudae and KOMID,” the report further states.
KOMID is North Korea’s premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons.
The Namibian panel confirmed to the UN that the country entered into contracts with North Korea concerning arms and related material before 2005. “One covered the construction of the Windhoek munitions factory from 2002 to 2005, involving a subsidiary of Mansudae,” the report says.
“Namibia also confirmed it had received training and technical assistance relating to arms, but stated that, given the United Nations sanctions, the relevant experts have returned to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
As of August 2015, North Korean workers were undertaking construction activities at the military base in Suiderhof, Windhoek, the UN was told. Other North Korean activities in Namibia include the construction of State House, the Heroes’ Acre and Independence Museum.
The Ministry of International Relations yesterday said despite these new developments, the warm diplomatic relations between Namibia and North Korea would continue. Ties between Namibia and North Korea date back to the days of the anti-colonial struggle when the Asian nation supported Namibia – and cordial diplomatic relations continued after independence.