Namibia: Namibia exported goods worth N.dollars 21 billion to the European Union (EU) in 2025, while imports from the EU amounted to N.dollars 16 billion, Director General of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Kaire Mbuende, said on Tuesday. Mbuende was speaking at the opening of the second Namibia-EU Business Forum underway in Windhoek from 11 to 13 May 2026 under the theme: 'Towards Stronger, Greener and More Diversified Economies: Catalysing Business and Trade Opportunities Between the EU and Namibia.'
According to Namibia Press Agency, Mbuende emphasized that the EU remains one of Namibia's key trade and investment partners, especially in fields such as renewable energy, critical raw materials, and industrial development. He remarked on the mutual prospects for creating resilient, transparent, and mutually beneficial value chains.
The forum marks a continuation of discussions initiated at the first Namibia-EU Business Forum in Brussels in 2023, gathering policymakers, investors, and business leaders to explore opportunities for investment and trade.
European Union Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, highlighted a significant development during the forum. She announced an agreement between the EU and Namibia to extend their Strategic Partnership Roadmap on sustainable raw material value chains and renewable hydrogen until 2030. Roswall emphasized the importance of moving beyond feasibility studies to achieve tangible economic benefits, including factories, jobs, skills, and revenues that can benefit Namibian communities.
Additionally, Roswall unveiled a new N.dollars 78 million investment project involving the Geological Survey of Finland and the Andrada Uis Mine. This initiative aims to boost lithium production for the global battery supply chain. Roswall stated that the collaboration with Finnish geological expertise would help position Namibia as a key player in global battery value chains.
Mbuende also pointed out Namibia's ongoing efforts to establish itself as a regional logistics and industrial hub through investments in various sectors such as energy, transport corridors, rail infrastructure, and the Port of Walvis Bay. He noted that the country's economic diversification agenda focuses on sectors like agribusiness, green hydrogen, renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, and creative industries.