WINDHOEK, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The elevation of China-Namibia relations will open new pathways for Namibia's industrialization and economic diversification as both sides seek to translate political ties into productive investment and technological cooperation, a Namibian economist has said.
Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah paid a state visit to China from July 5 to 11, during which the two countries jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Namibia community with a shared future for the new era. The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including industry, mining, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, science, and technology.
"The real opportunity is not simply to export more commodities, but to use Chinese investment to expand manufacturing, mineral beneficiation and other value-added industries," Indileni Nanghonga, a prominent Namibian economist, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
She said cooperation in agriculture, renewable energy, and skills development could help Namibia increase productivity, create jobs, and build a more competitive and diversified economy.
Nanghonga also identified space technology as an emerging area of cooperation with practical economic applications.
Earlier this year, China handed over the first phase of a satellite ground data receiving and processing system in Windhoek, enabling Namibia to use satellite data for agriculture, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure planning.
"Space technology should be viewed as an economic productivity tool rather than merely a scientific ambition," Nanghonga said.
She said satellite applications, remote sensing, and geospatial data could support precision farming, crop monitoring, irrigation planning, and drought preparedness.
Such technologies could further support Namibia's renewable energy and green hydrogen ambitions by helping identify suitable locations for solar and wind projects, monitor water resources, and plan power transmission and export infrastructure, Nanghonga said.
However, Nanghonga said such cooperation must be accompanied by technology support and the development of local expertise.
She cited ongoing agricultural cooperation under the South-South cooperation framework as an example of how technical training and knowledge sharing could complement investment.
To maximize the benefits of cooperation with China, Namibia should strengthen policies that support industrial development and ensure that foreign investment contributes to sustainable diversification, she said.
Meanwhile, she called for closer links between universities, research institutions, and industry to develop the technical expertise required by higher-value industries.
"Infrastructure and investment can stimulate growth, but sustainable development depends on Namibians having the skills to operate, maintain, and improve new technologies," Nanghonga said. ■
