His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob
President of the Republic of Namibia

This message is from His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia

On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Namibia, and indeed on my behalf, it gives me great pleasure to warmly welcome you to “the Land of the Brave”.

I bring greetings from a land of contrasting natural beauty, characterized by the endless sand dunes of the oldest desert, “the Namib Desert” along the coastline where it meets the deep blue sea waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, to the tropical wetlands of the North Eastern Regions, and the gaming of Etosha National Park where the “Big Five” reside.

Namibia is a unique destination that offers classic landscapes, abundant biodiversity and bountiful unspoiled wildlife, rich cultural diversity, with a diverse range of flora and fauna, giving tourists an unforgettable experience.

Namibia, which has a competitive economy, characterised by modern infrastructure and an array of excellent investment opportunities across all sectors of the economy, is the gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Major sectors for possible investment include agriculture, tourism, mining, manufacturing, fishing and banking, as set out in its Vision 2030, which is a national policy aimed at achieving our developmental aspirations.

The country enjoys one of the continent’s most peaceful and politically stable environments, due to our Government’s commitment to the principles of democracy, effective governance, the rule of law, and human rights which are in line with the Commonwealth’s values and principles.

Namibia stands ready to welcome our compatriots across the Commonwealth as potential investors as well as tourists. Let Namibia be your first choice of destination.

Namibia in the Commonwealth

did you know?

• Namibia became a member of the Commonwealth in 1990
• Namibia became an independent country on the 21st of March 1990
• Namibia has been competing in the Commonwealth games since 1994, and has won 12 medals in total
• Frank Fredericks, born in Windhoek in October 1967, took the Commonwealth Games Men’s 200 Metres record when he won the event in 19.97 seconds at the 1994 Games in Victoria, Canada
• With population density of less than three per square km, Namibia is the most sparsely populated country in the Commonwealth and in Africa. Mongolia is the only country in the world with lower population density
• The country has some 1,570km of coastline

Commonwealth Projects

National Export Strategy for Namibia (2007/08)
This project, which was funded by the Commonwealth, assisted Namibia in operationalising the Export Promotion Agency and developing a National Export Strategy. The project was undertaken by a small team drawn from public and private sector stakeholders and supported by a national consultant provided by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Implementation of a Pilot Project for a SME Group Purchasing Scheme in Namibia (2007/08)
The objective of this Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned project was to establish a Pilot Group Purchasing Scheme which would enable SMEs to procure their goods and services in a more effective manner and access a wide range of markets that offer better quality inputs and services at more competitive prices.

Aquaculture Advisor (2005/06)
An expert in aquaculture was provided to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Namibia, supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Namibia has a small but thriving fisheries industry and has enormous potential in aquaculture. Thus the aim of the project was to tap the considerable export potential for freshwater culture production thereby assisting the rural population to secure sustainable livelihoods. The Namibian government established a new Directorate to manage and monitor the expansion of the aquaculture sub-sector; which the advisor was instrumental in setting up.

Kudu Gas Field Development Negotiations (2003/04)
Assistance has been provided, courtesy of the Commonwealth Secretariat, to the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Namibia with negotiations with Shell in regard to developing the Kudu Gas Field offshore of Namibia. Negotiations proceeded through financial year 2001/02 but were put on hold when Shell withdrew from the project. Negotiations resumed once the remaining consortium members presented their new proposals for Kudu Gas development.

Economic Advisor, Bank of Namibia (1997)
An Economic Advisor, for a period of two years, was assigned by the Commonwealth Secretariat to the Bank of Namibia, to advise the Governor of the Bank on monetary policies and the region’s economic and financial integration.