Namibia–Russia relations
Map indicating locations of Namibia and Russia

Namibia
Russia

Namibia–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between Namibia and Russia. Namibia has an embassy in Moscow and Russia has an embassy in Windhoek. Samuel Mbambo is the Namibian representative in Moscow, while Russia is represented in Windhoek by Nicolai Gribkov.

Pre-independence

The Soviet Union gave significant amounts of aid to the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) during the Namibian War of Independence. Many leaders of the SWAPO movement in Namibia received guerrilla training in the Soviet Union. With the end of South Africa's violently racist apartheid rule in Namibia in 1990, the Soviet Union and its successor state Russia established diplomatic relations with the country.

Post-independence

Relations between Namibia and Russia were considered "excellent" in 2006 by Namibian Minister of Education Nangolo Mbumba, while Russia expressed a desire for even stronger relations, particularly in the economic field. Also in 2006, the Namibia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was officially opened during a visit by Russian Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev to Windhoek. During said visit, the Minister said Russia was interested in investing in oil, hydro-electric power and tourism.[1] In 2007, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov held discussions with Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula and President Hifikepunye Pohamba in regards to the possibility of developing Namibia's significant uranium deposits with an aim towards creating a nuclear power plant in the country.[2] In 2008, Trutnev returned to Namibia, this time to Swakopmund, to meet at the third annual Intergovernmental Commission. Top foreign ministry official Marco Hausiku and his deputy Lempy Lucas represented Namibia in discussions with Trutnev.[3]

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba greets Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Windhoek on 25 June 2009.

In June 2009, during a four-day tour to five African countries, Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian head of state to visit Namibia. Medvedev was accompanied by a delegation of around 400 Russian businessmen, including the heads of Gazprom and Alrosa.[4][5][6] The visit included signing a number of energy-related agreements.[6]

Russia has drastically increased the bilateral aid it gives to Namibia, from $90,000 in 2012 to $1.5 million in 2017.[6]


References

  1. ↑ Russia urges more trade with mineral-rich Namibia People's Daily, 28 July 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  2. ↑ Russia, Namibia in nuke talks Fin24.com, 18 March 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  3. ↑ Russian minist in trade talks with Nam Archived 2011-06-07 at archive.today, The Namibian, November 28, 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  4. ↑ Kachur, Dzvinka (2020). Russia's Resurgence in Africa (Report). South African Institute of International Affairs. pp. 9–12 – via JSTOR.
  5. ↑ Bakalova, Evgeniya; Spanger, Hans-Joachim; Neumann, Jasmin Melanie (2013). Development Cooperation or Competition?: Russia as a re-emerging donor (Report). Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. pp. 1–3 – via JSTOR.
  6. 1 2 3 Sidiropoulos, Elizabeth; Alden, Chris (2019). "Russia in Africa — post-Soviet re-engagement". Inside the Russia-Africa Matryoshka. South African Institute of International Affairs: 7–27 – via JSTOR.
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