KEETMANSHOOP… The //Kharas Regional Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyphen Energy this week to enhance skills development and capacity building.

Regional governor Aletha Frederick said the day marks a significant milestone in the region’s journey towards sustainable development and economic empowerment in the //Kharas region. 

“Green hydrogen, with its huge investment opportunities, has the ability to set Namibia on a sustainable economic advancement trajectory, “ she added. She said the agreement will establish a robust general framework for cooperation between the two parties, with emphasis on skills development initiatives and capacity building in the region. 

Frederick said the government was working with Hyphen Energy to implement a comprehensive Social Economic Development (SED) framework with its key component being developing mechanisms to support local MSMEs to participate in this new industry. 

She urged stakeholders to ensure the Memorandum of Understanding enabled them to reaffirm their commitment to skills development and capacity building in the region as the agreement is not merely a ceremonial act, but rather a call to action for all parties involved.

 The governor gave the assurance that the region is proud to support the initiative and have full confidence in stakeholders’ dedication to create an inclusive environment that benefits all.

In a speech read on his behalf by Tioni Beukes, Hyphen’s head of environment and social governance, the company’s chief executive officer, Marco Rafinetti said the event marked a significant milestone in their shared commitment to the //Kharas region in formalising a partnership on skills development and capacity building, through the MoU.

 “By training and employing Namibians, we aim to maximize local participation during the construction and operation phases of the Hyphen project,” he explained.

Rafinetti added that through the agreement, Hyphen will focus on initiatives that strengthen technical training at TVET level with a special focus on youth of //Kharas. 

“We believe by pooling our collective expertise and resources, we can create meaningful, impactful solutions that address the unique educational challenges faced by the //Kharas region,” Rafinetti said. According to the Green Industrialisation blueprint, fully developing Namibia’s synthetic fuel strategy could create up to 250 000 jobs. This includes about 185 000 direct jobs from green hydrogen activities, like building wind and solar energy farms, operating pipelines, and assembling electrolysers; and about 70 000 jobs related to concrete manufacturing, basic metals production, etc.