 | ||
Namibia–Russia relations refers to the bilateral relationship 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.
Contents
Russian–SWAPO relations
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. Among these were Hifikepunye Pohamba, Petrus Iilonga, Erkki Nghimtina and Ngarikutuke Tjiriange. With the end of South Africa's unpopular apartheid rule in Namibia in 1990, the Soviet Union and its successor state Russia established diplomatic relations with the country.
Post-independence relations
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. 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. 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.
In June 2009, Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian head of state to visit Namibia. Medvedev was accompanied by Russian businessmen, with a view to sign deals on diamonds and energy.