AfroVerdict

Namibia, Ethiopia Stand Firmly on Path to Stronger Cooperation With Russia

AfroVerdict host features an interview with the Vice President of Namibia, who may well be the nation's next president. She shares her vision for the future of bilateral relations with Russia and explains the challenges African media face. Likewise, Ethiopia's new ambassador to Russia takes to the floor to disclose the focal areas of his term.
Sputnik
Provided SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organization), the current ruling party of the country, wins the Namibian elections on November 27, focusing on "a prudent financial economic system that is looking particularly on the welfare" of Namibians will be a priority, according to Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Vice President of Namibia.
"When you look at our election manifesto, we are looking at the programs that are more labor intensive and not just labor intensive, but sustainable labor intensive by growing our economy," the vice president says.
Apart from welfare, she explains that her government will be "looking at the sectors that have a great impact on our youth, particularly the sports creative industry," as well as "sectors which drive the economy, such as the mining industry."
"Namibia, we are a producer of uranium and nuclear energy is one of the clean energy. And with the technology which is now in the market, there's nothing that can prevent us from looking at that, because unless we have enough energy, there is no way you can develop your country," Nandi-Ndaitwah adds.
As for Namibia-Russia relations, one can expect "no change," as the "SWAPO policy will continue" and "we are all coming from the same roots."
"So we [will] just pursue and strengthen the cooperation which we had over the years," the official states.
Genet Teshome Jirru, the new Ethiopian ambassador to Russia, presented his credentials to Russian officials on September 12. He reveals that he "would be focusing on strengthening our multifaceted and long-standing relationship between our two countries," however areas for exploring cooperation include "investment, trade and tourism."

"We have an excellent people-to-people relationship in the past, but still we can build on that cultural relationship and people to people contacts," the new ambassador says.

He also expresses his country's interest in cooperating with Russia in nuclear technology, particularly "in the health sector, in agriculture and energy sector."
On the sidelines of the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Ethiopia and Russia signed a roadmap for the development of Russian-Ethiopian cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
Although the process "is now at the initial stage" with ongoing discussions, the "next step" will involve implementing relevant projects and forming an "inter-ministerial committee meeting."
"The projects have been identified and the priorities [have] already been set. So the next step would be discussing the implementation of those projects that have been identified by both sides. We will have a joint inter-ministerial committee commission meeting in the coming three years," Ambassador Genet Jirru discloses.
To hear the conversations firsthand with the officials, check out the entire episode of the AfroVerdict podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
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