President Hage Geingob had successful consultations with leaders of political parties about Namibia’s post-Covid-19 recovery, with a focus on green hydrogen as a frontier of growth.
In recent months, Namibia has been the focus of increased attention from heads of state and government as well as business leaders in the global investment community.
“The renewed interest, which is a consequence of the post-Covid-19 recovery plan, which Geingob has been championing at home and abroad, comes at a crucial time when Namibia has potentially discovered oil and has positioned itself at the centre of the global energy transition through green hydrogen,” said presidential press secretary Alfredo Hengari in a statement yesterday.
Specifically, with green hydrogen identified by government as an important engine of growth in light of the enormous transformational potential for the Namibian economy and the number of jobs to be created, Geingob initiated a national dialogue with leaders of political parties, which will be followed by feedback sessions with communities in the southern part of Namibia.
Consultations commenced on Monday with the leaders of political parties in the National Assembly, including the South West Africa National Union (Swanu), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), the All People’s Party, the Republican Party, the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP). During the consultations, Geingob emphasised the need for dialogue, and urged leaders to put their political differences aside when national interest is at stake and when projects hold developmental benefits for ordinary Namibians.
“When diplomacy fails, people go to war,” said the President, and it is with that in mind that dialogue with political parties and Namibians at large was important in order to get development right, and to foster national cohesion.
Hengari noted that the global attention that the country has been receiving is such that Namibia had assumed a prominent role at various global forums, including COP26, and most recently the European Union-African Union Summit, which was held in Brussels, Belgium during the month of February
2022.