Windhoek
Siemens AG, the German infrastructure, energy, healthcare and infrastructure giant, has in conjunction with its subsidiaries, who employ 362 000 people, expressed interest in the Namibian energy sector.
Another German electricity giant, STEAG Energy Services, the fifth largest electricity generator in Germany which has been active in energy generation for over seven decades, this week also expressed interest in the local energy sector.
Siemens AG, which is the largest engineering company in Europe and is headquartered in Berlin and Munich, as well as STEAG expressed interest when the Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Kornelia Shilunga, attended a two-day German-Africa Energy Forum in Hamburg, Germany from Monday to Tuesday this week.
The 10th German-Africa Energy Forum event, that was attended by over 400 representatives from the public and private sectors, included senior government officials and politicians from 41 African countries.
Dr Mekondjo Kaapanda-Girnus, the commercial counselor at the Namibia Embassy in Germany, indicated that Siemens, STEAG and ABB, which specialises in robotics and power automation technologies, expressed interest after Shilunga’s riveting and well-received presentation.
“She informed an interested audience about the latest developments in the Namibian energy sector and presented current projects and opportunities for foreign investors,” stated Kaapanda-Girnus.
Her exemplary presentation culminated in “several private side meetings with senior managers of prominent international players, such as Siemens, STEAG and ABB, who were eager to explore possibilities for future cooperation,” she said.
Siemens generates Euro 72 billion, (roughly N$1.1 trillion in annual sales, while STEAG with a workforce of 6 400 last year had sales of around N$50.5 billion.