President Halonen in Namibia: towards broader cooperation

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba in Windhoek on 22 February 2011. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen recalled the strong roots of cooperation between Finland and Namibia in Windhoek on Tuesday, 22 February 2011. The programme of the state visit to Namibia included official talks with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba and meetings with non-governmental organisations.

One of the objectives of the state visit is to “respect the past and build the future together,” President Halonen summarised when answering questions by the media.

The topics of the official talks between the presidents included Namibia’s investment interests, cooperation on education and good governance, and active cooperation among non-governmental organisations. Further topics included the EEA agreement talks between Namibia and the EU, the situation in southern and northern Africa as well as regional integration.

The visit has received an extremely warm welcome in Namibia. The foundation for the relations between Finland and Namibia was laid by Finnish missionaries, who founded churches, schools and hospitals in northern Namibia. “The first white person I ever saw was a Finn,” President Pohamba said when he opened the negotiations headed by the presidents.

Broader cooperation

Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

Finland and Namibia have moved from traditional development cooperation towards broader economic cooperation, opening opportunities for diverse economic, cultural and political cooperation, President Pohamba said. The cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland and the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy was highlighted as an example of such cooperation.

President Pohamba expressed his wish for Finnish companies to invest in Namibia’s growing mining, metal and food industries, and hoped particularly that Namibian agricultural products gain access to Finnish markets.

President Halonen said that many countries can only dream of the degree of respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights shared by Finland and Namibia. Unemployment, however, is a major challenge, as the lack of a decent job prevents young people from active participation in society.

Fair trade and energy

President Halonen said that fair trade products have become highly popular in Finland and that renewable energy is offering a wealth of opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises in particular.

“Environmentally friendly technology can promote both economic growth and the generation of jobs. Finland also has expertise in traditional energy forms and energy efficiency in particular,” President Halonen said.

Topics featured at the meeting with non-governmental organisations included cooperation among trade unions, enterprise development and equality issues. Local disability organisations also presented their progress on cooperation projects.

The programme for Wednesday, 23 February, the last day of the state visit, includes a visit to the town of Ondangwa in northern Namibia, where President Halonen will visit a school and hospital that are being funded and restored partly by Finns.

From Namibia President Halonen will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, for a meeting of the UN High-level Panel on Global Sustainability on 24–25 February. President Halonen co-chairs the panel together with the President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Zuma.

President Halonen is to return to Finland on Saturday, 26 February.

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