RESOURCE DRIVE: The European Union wants to secure a deal with Namibia that will see it finance infrastructure projects in exchange for resources to feed its energy requirements. 
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
RESOURCE DRIVE: The European Union wants to secure a deal with Namibia that will see it finance infrastructure projects in exchange for resources to feed its energy requirements. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

EU negotiating for Namibia’s green hydrogen

OGONE TLHAGE
The European Union (EU) and Namibia are in the process of ironing out a green hydrogen deal they intend to conclude ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) scheduled for November.

National Planning Commission director-general Obeth Kandjoze neither confirmed nor denied whether the deal was close to being concluded, but based on communication seen by Namibian Sun, the EU is pursuing the deal to give it access to Namibia’s green hydrogen sector to fuel its energy requirements.

“Indeed, confirmation is in place and Namibia and the EU are hard at work thrashing out a memorandum of understanding in respect to green hydrogen and ammonia, Kandjoze said.

“It’s early days yet and closer to the deal becoming clearer, we shall be public about its content,” he added.

When pressed on potential outcomes of the agreement, he said there are hopes Namibia will benefit in the areas of solar and wind power infrastructure as well as maritime port developments.

“Those specifics are not thrashed out in detail as of now. That is what we hope to agree on and hopefully define in the memorandum of understanding,” he said.

Resources for infrastructure

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the EU was seeking access to Namibia’s resources as part of the agreement.

The EU also wants easier access to minerals in Namibia, and plans geological projects to explore the resources of a country which is nearly as big as the combined territory of France and Germany, an EU official with details on the deal said.

Namibia is among the priority countries in the EU's global gateway strategy, Brussels' version of the Chinese belt and road initiative, to boost infrastructure investment and diplomatic ties in developing countries.

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Namibian Sun 2024-04-20

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