Russian-Namibian Relations

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on March 21, 1990. Russian-Namibian cooperation continues to develop in political, economic, trade, humanitarian and other spheres.

In March 1998 H.E. Dr. Sam Nujoma, Founding President of Namibia, visited Russia. H.E. Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, visited Namibia in June 2009. H.E. Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia, paid a visit to Moscow in May 2010.

In September, 2013 and September, 2017 on the margins of the 68-th and 72-nd sessions of the UN General Assembly in New York talks between H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of International Relations and Cooperations of the Republic of Namibia, were held. The two Ministers also met in October, 2016 in Moscow within the framework of the 6-th Session of the bilateral Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. In March, 2018 H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Windhoek, was received by H.E. Dr. Hage Gottfried Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and held negotiations with Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

An official visit to Moscow of Hon. Asser Kapere, Chairman of the National Council of the Republic of Namibia took place in July, 2010. In February, 2016 a delegation of the Defense and Security Committee of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation headed by Mr. Evgeny Serebrennikov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee, visited Namibia. In October, 2017 during the 137-th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in St.Petersburg and in June, 2018 on the margins of the International Forum “Development of Parliamentarism” in Moscow meetings between H.E. Mrs. Valentina Matvienko, Chairperson of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and Hon. Margaret Mensah-Williams, Chairperson of the National Council of the Republic of Namibia, were held.

The Russian-Namibian Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation (IGC) was established in 2005. It is co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District, and Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of International Relations and Cooperations of the Republic of Namibia. 

The 7-th Session of the IGC was held on November 15-16, 2017 in Windhoek. An Agreement on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Safety and Security of the Republic of Namibia, as well as the Agreed Minutes of the 7-th Session of the IGC and the sessions of the Russian-Namibian working groups on fisheries and on geology and subsoil management. 

In February, 2018 in Windhoek H.E. Mr. Alexander Konovalov, Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, was received by H.E. Dr. H.G.Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and held talks with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Namibia Hor. Dr. Albert Kawana. Subsequently, a Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Namibia on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and an Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Namibia were signed.

Namibian representatives participated in the 8-th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues (Tver Region, May 2017), the 10-th International Forum ATOMEXPO 2018 (Moscow, June 2017), the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students (Sochi, October 2017), the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Karl Marx’s “Capital” and its impact on the World Development" (Moscow, May 2018), the Social Forum "Russia-Africa" (Moscow, October 2018). The leadership of the Namibia Football Association attended official ceremonies and matches of the FIFA World Cup in Russia (July 2018).

A delegation of members of the Assembly of the city of Cheboksary visited the city of Rundu in November 2016 to participate in the regional Trade fair.

The bilateral trade in 2017 amounted to US$ 2 million (Russian exports – US$ 1.4 million, imports – US$ 0.6 million). The Russian exports include machinery, technical equipment, vehicles; imports – foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials. Among promising areas of cooperation are mining, energy, transport, agriculture and fishing. Russian-Namibian working groups on tourism (established in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement of May 20, 2010), on fisheries (Intergovernmental Agreement of May 20, 2010), on geology and subsoil management (Intergovernmental Agreement of October 28, 2016) are operational. There is a good potential and prospects for Russia-Namibia partnership in mining, energy, ICT, transport, health, industry, tourism, agriculture and fishery. It is expected that more investments would come as new projects are identified.

About 500 Namibian students are studying in higher educational institutions in quite a number of regions in Russia. For the academic year 2018/2019 the Namibian quota for higher education in Russia (bachelor degree) at the expense of the Russian Federal budget includes 33 scholarships. The annual enrollment (at the expense of the Russian Federal budget and on a commercial basis) is about 40 to 50 people.

In 2016 the functions of the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation accredited in the Republic of South Africa were extended to Namibia.

In 2017 Russia through the UN World Food Program allocated US$ 1,5 million to provide food aid to Namibians to eliminate consequences of the drought.

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Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Namibia – H.E. Mr. Valerii Utkin (presented credentials on November 9, 2017).

Ambassador Designate of the Republic of Namibia to the Russian Federation – H.E. Mr. Clemens Handuukeme Kashuupulwa.