MOSCOW- President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Africa must move from political liberation to economic emancipation by strengthening cooperation with Russia in trade, investment and industrial development.
Speaking before departing Namibia for Moscow yesterday, where she will attend the third Russia-Africa Summit, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the meeting should produce stronger economic cooperation that improves the lives of African citizens.
“What we are expecting to come out is how Africa and Russia can strengthen their cooperation,” she said.
The President said an economic cooperation forum would run alongside the summit, providing an opportunity for African countries and Russia to discuss ways of expanding economic relations.
“And you know that we are now in the era of economic emancipation. The same way Africa worked with the Soviet Union at that time in our political emancipation, now we have to take that to the next level, which is the economic emancipation,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said economic development was also important for peace and security because stronger economies could help countries maintain stability and improve citizens’ living conditions. “So it is really to cooperate from the economic point of view and to show also peace and security, because when you are economically strong, you are maintaining peace and stability in your country,” she said. She added that the priority was to ensure that citizens benefited from the independence their countries had achieved.
The summit and the accompanying Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum are scheduled for 28 and 29 October in Moscow under the theme “For Peace, Security and Development”.
The meetings will bring together African leaders, Russian officials, business representatives and experts to discuss trade, investment, energy, food security, technology and industrial development. The forum’s programme includes discussions on payment systems, digitalisation, peaceful nuclear energy and food security.
Trade and investment
For Namibia, the summit comes as the two countries seek to expand economic relations beyond their longstanding political ties.
Namibia and Russia established diplomatic relations on 21 March 1990, the day Namibia gained independence. Their cooperation has covered mining, energy, agriculture, education, science, technology, healthcare, tourism and defence. Trade between the two countries reached US$17.3 million between January and October 2025, according to Yuri Trutnev, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and chairperson of the Russian side of the Intergovernmental Russian-Namibian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Trutnev said bilateral trade had nearly doubled to US$11.7 million in 2024.
He made the remarks in January 2026 following discussions with Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, on expanding economic cooperation. The discussions covered geology, mineral resources, education and the possibility of expanding bilateral payment arrangements. Russia also supported a proposal to hold a business forum alongside the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The commission’s 11th session was held in Windhoek in March 2026, with both countries exploring opportunities to increase trade, investment and development cooperation. Before her departure, the Presidency said Namibia would use the summit to pursue practical partnerships in job creation, industrialisation, technology transfer and economic diversification.
Mineral beneficiation, which involves processing minerals to increase their value before export, is among the areas Namibia intends to promote.
Economic cooperation
The President’s remarks come as Russia signals its readiness to expand economic cooperation with African countries in agriculture, energy, digital technology and industrial production.
During a media meeting in Moscow on Monday, Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, said Russia wanted to increase imports from African producers and support local production through joint investments.
Oreshkin said Russia’s food import market was worth US$43 billion in 2025, with African suppliers accounting for about 8% of that market. He said Russian companies were prepared to invest in African agriculture, fisheries and food production, including technologies to improve productivity and food security. “This is a really great opportunity for African producers,” Oreshkin said.
He also identified water management, energy infrastructure, digital services and artificial intelligence as areas for cooperation.
Oreshkin cited Russia’s nuclear power project in Egypt, which he valued at US$25 billion, as an example of cooperation involving infrastructure, education and technical skills development. He said joint projects should involve local companies and investment from partner countries. “Joint implementation of the project means joint responsibility, joint investment of local partners,” he said. No specific new Russian investment package for Namibia was announced during the media meeting.
Development and security
Nandi-Ndaitwah said economic cooperation must contribute to peace and stability and improve the lives of people across Africa.
Her participation in the summit will include engagements on Russia-Africa cooperation and a plenary session co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current chairperson of the African Union.
The summit is also expected to produce a new action plan for the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum covering 2027 to 2029, alongside intergovernmental agreements and commercial contracts, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
Nandi-Ndaitwah is expected to return to Namibia on Friday.
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