Windhoek
The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Namibia for the last four years, Ambassador Raul Fuentes Milani, bade farewell to President Hage Geingob during a brief meeting at State House on Tuesday.
Milani noted that four years is a lengthy period to serve as ambassador, by EU standards, but said he was modestly satisfied with his accomplishments in Namibia.
The new EU Ambassador is set to take over on September 1, 2015.
“The EU has been Namibia’s greatest partner,” said Geingob when he received Milani and his delegation. Commenting specifically on the protracted negotiations over the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which Namibia is expected to sign this year, Geingob noted that Milani “brought calm” to the sometimes heated negotiation process.
The EPA document, to which Namibia agreed in July 2014, will not only give Namibia duty-and quota-free access to the EU, but also makes provision for Namibia’s own economic agenda for local development and regional integration.
During an earlier interview with New Era, Milan said: “We have finalised negotiations and are ready to sign sometime this year,” adding that the cooperation, once officially announced, would “open a new page in economic relations.”
“The idea is to change the current situation, based on non-bilateral concessions by the EU, into a bilateral understanding,” the outgoing EU ambassador explained.
Milani added that the EU will continue to focus on numerous developmental issues, including pre-primary education, vocational training and would want to increase cooperation with Namibia’s parliament.