China and Namibia deepen partnership in space, infrastructure, green energy, and agriculture sectors

Namibia's Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare noted that this station will help make fact-based decisions in key economic sectors. With support from China, Namibia has joined the group of African countries equipped with modern ground stations for real-time satellite data reception.

Infrastructure Improvements and Mobility

Significant changes have occurred in transport cooperation in Namibia. In November 2025, the China-built high-speed highway section of Dr. Hage G. Geingob opened for traffic, connecting Hosea Kutako International Airport and the Windhoek center. This project significantly improved mobility efficiency, reducing travel time from approximately one hour to thirty minutes and decreasing road congestion.

Minister of Public Works and Transport Weikko Nekundi called this project a milestone in national development and improving the lives of Namibian people. General Director of the Roads Authority Conrad Lutombi thanked China for its continuous support, emphasizing China's commitment to transforming Africa's infrastructure and 'friendship in all weather.' The construction also created about 850 local jobs and attracted 54 Namibian companies, contributing to skills transfer and employment.

This development follows the John Mutarwa road project in northern Namibia, which was built by the Henan China International Cooperation Group and opened in March 2025, improving regional connectivity, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, and raising the standard of living for local residents.

Transition to Green Energy

Cooperation in the field of green energy is becoming a cornerstone of relations between China and Namibia, helping the country transition from resource dependence to technology-based sustainable development.

In the Karas region of southern Namibia, the Sores Gaib power plant, with a capacity of 100 megawatts, is the country's largest solar photovoltaic power plant. It was jointly developed by China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Chint Green Energy. Upon commissioning, it is expected to produce over 300 million kilowatt-hours annually, covering nearly a tenth of the country's energy needs.

Cooperation also extends to green hydrogen. The Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project, signed in 2025, plans to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia on an industrial scale. Ziwayi Chiguware, Executive Director of the Namibia Institute for Green Hydrogen Research at the University of Namibia, stated that Namibia views green hydrogen as a strategic growth area, utilizing its abundant solar and wind resources to create large-scale renewable energy industries, and Chinese enterprises are already playing an increasingly visible role in this process.

Chiguware added that despite having abundant resources, Namibia lacks key elements of the hydrogen value chain, such as electrolyzers, desalination and water purification systems, ammonia synthesis plants, and hydrogen storage infrastructure. China's participation has helped bridge these gaps and accelerate the deepening of bilateral cooperation. He also stressed that the large-scale deployment of solar installations, where Chinese firms possess extensive experience, is critical for achieving economically viable green hydrogen production, making the cooperation mutually beneficial and promising.

Growth of Science-Based Aquaculture

In addition to infrastructure and energy, cooperation is contributing to the transformation of Namibia's agricultural and marine sectors. In Walvis Bay, Chinese fish farms cultivating oysters are employing scientific aquaculture methods adapted to local conditions. Thanks to the cold Atlantic currents, stable salinity, and nutrient-rich waters, oysters grown there reach export-ready sizes—over 40 grams—in just eight to ten months, which is significantly faster than in most other regions.

The farms use standardized cultivation systems imported from China, which replaced the local method of culturing oyster spat in discarded plastic bottles. This transition has improved survival rates, stabilized production, and supported both domestic supply and international exports to markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Automation and AI-based sorting systems are expected to further modernize production processes to stimulate long-term industry development.