Photo source : https://x.com/NamPresidency / Namibian President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the University of Dar-es-Salaam
Windhoek, Namibia – May 23, 2025
In a significant diplomatic initiative, Namibia’s newly inaugurated president, Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has embarked on her first official tour of Southern Africa since assuming office on March 21, 2025. The historic journey—marking her role as Namibia’s first female Head of State—has taken her across key Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, with the objective of fortifying bilateral relations, trade partnerships, and regional security cooperation.
A President on a Mission
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s tour commenced with working visits to Botswana and Zambia from May 15 to 16, where she engaged in high-level talks with Presidents Duma Boko and Hakainde Hichilema, respectively. Discussions centered on economic integration, infrastructure development, mineral beneficiation, and enhanced trade cooperation.
In Botswana, she and President Boko emphasized the urgency of implementing cross-border infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Kalahari Railway Line and jointly developing a refinery to process recently discovered oil resources in Namibia. The leaders also highlighted collaboration in diamond value addition, beef exports, and pharmaceutical certification.
“We must move swiftly to bridge the socio-economic gap and ensure our partnerships result in tangible benefits for our people,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah stated during a joint press conference in Gaborone.
Photo source : x.com/NamPresidency President Nandi-Ndaitwah held official talks with President Duma Boko.
Honouring Liberation Legacy in Zambia
In Lusaka, the Namibian president took part in a street renaming ceremony that paid homage to Namibian Founding President Dr. Sam Nujoma and the late President Hage G. Geingob—both of whom spent formative years in exile in Zambia. President Nandi-Ndaitwah, a former SWAPO representative to Zambia, underscored the historic bonds between the two nations and affirmed a shared commitment to joint infrastructure upgrades, including the Katima Mulilo Border Post and the strategic Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor.
“The memory of President Kenneth Kaunda’s solidarity with our liberation movement is etched into every Namibian heart,” she declared. “Now is the time to build on that legacy through deeper economic integration.”
Mozambique: A New Chapter in Economic Diplomacy
On May 19, President Nandi-Ndaitwah arrived in Maputo for her inaugural state visit to Mozambique. In meetings with President Daniel Francisco Chapo, she extended gratitude for Mozambique’s support during Namibia’s liberation struggle and emphasized the shift from historic solidarity to economic partnership.
“Today marks a turning point in our relations. We are committed to transforming our sisterly ties into a stronger economic partnership, aligned with the aspirations of the AU Agenda 2063,” she announced at a joint press briefing.
The leaders committed to launching the Namibia-Mozambique Joint Commission of Cooperation, which will focus on key sectors including energy, oil and gas, the blue economy, education, tourism, logistics, and climate resilience technologies.
Strengthening Regional Ties: President Nandi-Ndaitwah Visits Zimbabwe to Boost Mineral Sector Cooperation
Photo source : https://x.com/NamPresidency President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah held bilateral talks with President Emerson Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe
President of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also paid a working visit to Zimbabwe on 20th of May, where she held bilateral talks with President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The two leaders focused on deepening cooperation in the mining and minerals sector, identifying value addition and beneficiation as critical pillars for sustainable economic growth and job creation in both countries.
During the high-level discussions, Presidents Nandi-Ndaitwah and Mnangagwa stressed the strategic importance of leveraging natural resources to build more resilient and inclusive economies. “We must move beyond raw extraction and focus on processing and refining our resources locally,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah, emphasizing the potential for regional partnerships to drive industrialization and development across Southern Africa.
Namibia’s mining industry contributes roughly 25% of the country’s national income, with key exports including diamonds, uranium, copper, and zinc. In Zimbabwe, the sector is equally vital, accounting for about 12% of GDP, and featuring a highly diversified portfolio that includes platinum, gold, chrome, and Africa’s largest lithium reserves. Both countries are seeking to expand domestic processing capabilities to capture more value from their mineral wealth, particularly amid rising global demand for lithium and rare earth elements.
The two heads of state also addressed the broader implications of resource extraction, calling for policies that ensure local communities benefit fairly from mining activities and that environmental standards are upheld amid expanding investment. Zimbabwe’s fast-growing lithium sector, largely driven by Chinese investment, has prompted calls for more equitable and sustainable development practices—a concern shared by Namibia as it navigates its own path toward industrial growth.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s visit to Harare reflects her administration’s commitment to strengthening regional integration and economic collaboration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Observers see the renewed focus on resource-based cooperation as a pragmatic step toward boosting intra-African trade and transforming the continent’s mineral riches into long-term prosperity.
The visit concluded with both nations pledging to establish a joint task force to explore investment and technology-sharing opportunities in mining, infrastructure, and environmental management.
Liberation Roots, Economic Vision
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s diplomatic tour is not only steeped in the historical context of Namibia’s liberation but is also forward-looking—anchored in economic transformation, industrialization, and job creation across the region. Throughout the tour, she emphasized the importance of leveraging shared histories and aligning regional priorities to meet contemporary challenges.
Her engagements reflect a nuanced approach to diplomacy that balances respect for liberation-era alliances with the pressing need for economic development. This includes cooperative ventures in natural resource beneficiation, joint infrastructure projects, and harmonized regional trade initiatives.
A Trailblazer for Namibia and the Region
At 72, President Nandi-Ndaitwah has made history multiple times over: as Namibia’s first female vice president, first female presidential candidate from the ruling SWAPO party, and now as the country’s first female president. A seasoned diplomat and liberation icon, her leadership is widely seen as a continuation of Namibia’s legacy of principled international engagement—recalibrated for the socio-economic priorities of the 21st century.
Her recent announcement of free tertiary education in public institutions starting 2026 further signals a focus on long-term development and youth empowerment.
Looking Ahead
As President Nandi-Ndaitwah returns to Windhoek to continue her domestic agenda, her regional outreach is expected to catalyze deeper ties within the SADC community. Her next steps include implementation of key agreements signed during the tour and hosting the upcoming Bi-National Commission with Botswana.
In her words from Maputo:
“We share a common destiny of peace and prosperity. Let us walk this path together, as Africans united in purpose and ambition.”
