Mines minister Tom Alweendo says Namibia estimates that the successful execution of its Green Industrialisation Blueprint could create more than a quarter million jobs and decrease more than 75 million tons of carbon dioxide.
Alweendo said this Tuesday when he delivered the keynote address at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The minister explained that Namibia has encapsulated its transformative aspirations for the economy in the Green Industrialisation Blueprint.
At the heart of this blueprint, he said, Namibia recognises the challenges that have hindered its growth since 2015.
“These include a polarised labour market, limited skills in competitive industries, and over-reliance on public investment.
“Addressing these constraints is essential for unlocking Namibia’s full economic potential and fostering inclusive growth for all citizens,” he said.
He added that by aligning the blueprint with Vision 2030, green industrialisation offers a clear pathway towards thriving manufacturing and service sectors, higher-skill industries, regional integration, and a knowledge-based economy.
The minister said the time to construct resilient and robust gateways that unlock latent potential as a people is here.
He said Africa must act now to capture tomorrow’s prosperity, which is constantly promised in the many publications that occupy shelves.
Citing the African proverb that says a single tree does not make a forest, Alweendo said Namibia is not alone as it walks this adventurous journey.
“For example, we are impressed by Morocco’s Green Hydrogen Offer, which enjoys the King’s support; Kenya’s Guidelines on Green Hydrogen from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority are enlightening; South Africa’s Green Hydrogen Commercialization Strategy is comprehensive in its approach to decarbonise heavy industry; and Mauritania’s incentive package for the production of green hydrogen is attractive,” he said.
He said the African Green Hydrogen Alliance now has 10 members and that Namibia is honoured to be able to learn from its fellow Africans.
“As a continent, we no longer must be timid about leading a complex and nuanced discourse. On the contrary, we have an important role in telling our unique narrative on this versatile molecule,” he said.
According to the minister, critical minerals such as rare earth elements, lithium, copper, cobalt, and others can be found in a handful of African countries.
However, more than 95% of the ability to process those elements into key components, such as permanent magnets and battery precursors, is located in just two countries.
The result is a fragile supply chain requiring delicate and targeted economic diplomacy.
“As Africans, we should realise that when coupled with green hydrogen, this natural resource endowment presents a generational opportunity for us to deliver long-lasting prosperity for our people and boost intra-African trade.
“Green industrialisation is the opportunity that binds domestic, regional, and global agendas,” Alweendo added.
He said Namibia must work with its regional neighbours to deliver a new global gateway that creates modern trade and low-carbon industrial opportunities, placing the region at the centre of a rapidly greening world.
Alweendo cited the Trans-Caprivi and Trans-Kalahari railway lines as good examples of cross-country infrastructure that requires careful planning with our neighbours.
He explained that large-scale green hydrogen projects will allow for making low-carbon goods such as green iron and ammonia.
“Excess electrons from these projects can be exported to our neighbours, alleviating regional energy insecurity. To do this, transmission lines must be prioritised in the southern African power pool,” he said.
Alweendo said that for this to happen, a holistic approach requiring cross-country coordination through deliberate collaboration between governments is necessary to coordinate the deployment of cross-country rail, transmission lines, and roads, all of which deliver goods to strategic ports.
Such a modern and curated infrastructure network will, he said, require a regional approach to planning and delivery, unlocking economies of scale that establish and entrench Africa’s global competitiveness.
“Funding these assets will require a further mindset shift as they will not serve the needs of just one country but likely a whole region.
“Public-driven PPPs and the strategic constitution of consortiums to unlock concessionary multilateral funding will likely emerge as preferred approaches to developing the required assets,” he added.
