EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins says Namibia’s ambition is not simply to export raw materials, but to move decisively towards greater industrialisation, local processing and value addition as the country positions itself for a new phase of economic growth driven by mining, energy and green industrialisation.
Speaking during the “Trends in EU-Namibia Trade and Investments: Namibian and EU Perspectives” session at the Namibia-EU Business Forum in Windhoek on Wednesday, Martins said the next phase of the EU-Namibia economic relationship would increasingly focus on industrial development, infrastructure investment and the creation of new value chains linked to critical raw materials and renewable energy.
She said Namibia’s industrial ambitions would require stronger partnerships between government and the private sector, alongside increased investment, technology transfer and innovation.
According to Martins, trade between the European Union and the six Southern African Development Community countries covered by the Economic Partnership Agreement has grown by 26% to €52 billion since the signing of the agreement in 2016.
She said Namibia has become an important part of that growth story, with exports to Europe’s single market increasing by more than 40% over the past decade.
The presentation stated that the European Union remains one of Namibia’s largest export markets, with exports to the bloc reaching the €2 billion mark in 2025.
Exports to Europe now include uranium, fish, meat, fruit, charcoal, stone and metal ores, highlighting the growing strategic importance of Namibia’s mining and extractive sectors within EU trade relations.
Martins said the Economic Partnership Agreement, signed on 10 June 2016 between the EU and the SADC EPA group, created a more predictable business environment, strengthened export sectors, and supported Namibia’s integration into global value chains.
She said industries such as beef, fisheries and high-value agriculture had expanded and become more competitive under the agreement, while standards, regulatory systems and export compliance capacity also improved.
The ambassador further noted that Namibia has maintained a trade surplus with the European Union in almost every year since 2004, which she described as evidence of the long-term value of the relationship for industrial development, export growth and job creation.
Martins also highlighted Namibia’s emerging green hydrogen sector as one of the most important future pillars of industrial cooperation between Namibia and Europe.
According to the presentation, Namibia currently has between seven and eight large-scale green hydrogen projects in the pipeline, representing an estimated €20 billion in investment potential.
Flagship projects, including Hyphen Hydrogen Energy and ZHERO, are expected to move toward final investment decisions in the near future.
Martins said the projects represent more than the emergence of a new energy sector; they signal the foundations of a new industrial future built around renewable energy, green industrial products, and critical raw materials.
She also linked Namibia’s industrial ambitions to the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, which Brussels says can help mobilise investment in infrastructure, sustainable supply chains, and industrial development projects across Namibia.
