Nam-EU partnership to fast track joint green energy transition
Namibia and the European Union advanced their partnership in green hydrogen and sustainable critical raw materials embedded in Global Gateway through roundtable discussions held in Windhoek according to an online news agency.
The Global Gateway is a European project created by the EU to develop new infrastructures in developing countries.
The EU-Namibia partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains and renewable hydrogen was agreed upon through an inked Memorandum of Understanding at COP27 in Egypt on 8 November 2022, by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the President H.E Dr. Hage Geingob.
“This new partnership will fast track the EU and Namibia’s joint green and energy transition,” European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen said in a statement.
According to Urpilainen the development of the green hydrogen and critical raw materials value chains will be truly transformative and support the green and digital transformation of both Namibia and the EU.
The EU and Namibia have committed to developing an operational Roadmap for 2023-2024, with concrete joint actions agreed upon within six months of the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding in May 2023.
Meanwhile, the roundtable discussions also focused on the opportunities and challenges of the new EU-Namibia partnership and identified key elements of the roadmap.
The European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton who also participated in the discussions said Namibia is an important partner for the EU.
“We want to work together on solutions to global challenges. Our new strategic partnership on raw materials and green hydrogen is a crucial part of our cooperation. We want to support Namibia in further developing a homegrown extractive, refining, and recycling industry for raw materials and expand green hydrogen production capacities,” he added.
Participants at the discussions included Namibia’s Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo and key stakeholders from Namibian and European public, private sector, and civil society. (Xinhua)
