According to Alweendo, Namibia’s vision is to be a significant and trusted player in the supply chain of critical minerals in support of the global energy transition…reports Asian Lite News
Namibia is positioning itself as a crucial player in the global supply chain of critical minerals essential for the green energy transition, a senior official said Thursday.
Speaking at a minerals discussion in the capital of Windhoek, Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo outlined the country’s strategy to leverage its rich mineral resources for local socio-economic development and the global shift toward renewable energy.
“Namibia is endowed with some of the needed critical minerals, and it must count for something,” Alweendo said, emphasizing the increasing global demand for critical minerals driven by the transition to renewable energy sources and advancements in technology.
Alweendo stressed the need for a “globally coordinated effort to ensure the sustainability of the critical minerals supply chains,” calling for dialogue and collaboration between resource-rich and resource-poor countries.
He highlighted Namibia’s approach to the energy transition, advocating for a just process that takes into account African circumstances.
“Pushing Africa to move forward with an energy transition on any timetable other than our own is yet another example of the lack of appreciation the global community has for African priorities,” he said.
According to Alweendo, Namibia’s vision is to be a significant and trusted player in the supply chain of critical minerals in support of the global energy transition.
Namibia aims to attract international investment to build a competitive critical minerals sector that creates jobs across the value chain, from exploration and mining to processing and manufacturing.
Alweendo noted that the country has intensified its global outreach over the past two years, yielding positive results.
In addition to critical minerals, Namibia is also focusing on green industrialization through initiatives such as its green hydrogen strategy.
“Our green hydrogen strategy is a bold initiative, and we are convinced that it is a critical step in shifting toward a green and modern global economy,” Alweendo said.
The partnership aims to assist Namibia modernise its financial ecosystem by leveraging India’s UPI technology and experience…reports Asian Lite News
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on Thursday said that it partnered with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to support them in developing a Unified Payment Interface (UPI)-like instant payment system for the country.
The partnership aims to assist Namibia modernise its financial ecosystem by leveraging India’s UPI technology and experience. This includes improving accessibility, affordability, connectivity with both domestic and international payment networks, and interoperability.
“By enabling this technology, the country will gain sovereignty in the digital payments landscape and stand to benefit from enhanced payment interoperability and improved financial access for underserved populations,” Ritesh Shukla, CEO, NPCI International, said in a statement.
Moreover, NPCI said that this collaboration aims to improve digital financial services and support real-time Person-to-Person (P2P) and Merchant payment transactions (P2M) in the country.
This partnership will also allow BoN to gain access to best-in-class technology and insights from NIPL, enabling the creation of a similar platform in Namibia for the digital welfare of its citizens.
“This endeavour, aligned with the Bank’s Strategic Plan and NPS Vision and Strategy 2025, deliberately employs a central bank-led approach to minimize infrastructure costs for financial institutions, thereby ensuring the sustainability and affordability of instant payment solutions for end users,” said Johannes Gawaxab, Governor of the Bank of Namibia.
Once operational, the platform will enable digital transactions in Namibia, prompting financial inclusion and reducing cash dependency by catering to underserved populations.
Meanwhile, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis asserted that India showcases how the digital revolution can be democratized to benefit millions, serving as a pivotal force for social transformation and advancement.
“Models like the Citizen Stack (of India) should be embraced and replicated across countries in the Global South – supporting and empowering people, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities, in the true spirit of leaving no one behind,” he said on Thursday.
Speaking at a conference on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) hosted by India’s UN mission, he recalled his visit to India in January, when, he said, he saw the rapid expansion of digital public infrastructure that has removed many barriers and “enabled millions to achieve financial independence and prosperity”.
“In just seven years, India’s digital public infrastructure model has achieved over 80 per cent financial inclusion for its citizens, and now accounts for more than 60 per cent of all digital transactions worldwide,” he said.
At the conference, India showcased its Citizen Stack, the pioneering DPI, that provides seamless interoperability between various functions, from identity (for example, Aadhar) and payments (like UPI and Walmart’s PhonePe) to health (Sanjeevani) and public services delivery.
India’s Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a video message said, “India believes in the ethos of ‘One World, One Family, One Future’ (and) consistent with our ethos, we offer our Citizen Stack to the world.”
“The G20 summit in New Delhi last year recognised the transformative power of DPI and following this, India took the initiative to establish a global repository for DPIs currently housing over 55 DPIs from 16 countries,” he said.
“India has pledged $200 million to a social impact fund that will accelerate DPI adoption globally, especially in the developing countries,” he added.
In the digital universe, India’s DPI is unique because unlike the commerce-driven systems predominating the West or the closed government-controlled model in China, India’s DPI provides an open digital infrastructure with guardrails that the private and public sectors can use.
India’s Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said, “India’s journey offers powerful lessons for other nations embarking on digital transformations emphasising a design approach focused on shared building blocks to spur innovation across ecosystems.”
“We invite you to engage with us, let’s stack up the benefits worldwide, and help millions more,” she said, “achieve their dreams”.
To evangelise the DPI model, India’s UN Mission is holding one-on-one sessions on Friday for countries that are interested in adopting it.
Amitabh Kant, who was India’s Sherpa for the G20 Summit, said that India was offering a “modular open source identity platform” that can be adopted by any country’s needs.
“Do not replicate what India has done,” he said. “If you want to transform the lives of citizens like India, you can use the model based on your own country’s ethos in a manner so that you can transform the lives of your citizens.”
India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, is looking to diversify its crude sources….reports Asian Lite News
India has been talking to Guyana, Suriname and Namibia regarding oil cooperation, informed Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday while asserting that there is no shortage of crude oil globally.
His statement comes as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) are extending their voluntary oil output cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) into the second quarter.
Responding to the development, Puri said: “Whatever decision Opec+ takes it is their sovereign decision… I speak with confidence as a representative of a country that we will navigate through this. If you sell, we will buy. If you don’t we will buy from someone other.”
“There is no shortage of crude oil in the world. My view is that there is enough oil present with Opec+… we have been talking to Guayana, Suriname, Namibia. Venezuela has some difficulties $600 million were stuck… that is coming in. I am confident. We will navigate through this. In coming time I don’t see any difficulty in this,” he added.
India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, is looking to diversify its crude sources.
India is considering a multi-year oil purchase agreement with Guyana.
crude oil, UAE-based Indian national sanctioned by US for smuggling Iranian oil.
Last year, the Ministry of External Affairs also said India is keenly looking at oil and gas cooperation with Guyana and Suriname.
Discussions in this regard were held during meetings of President of Cooperative Republic of Guyana Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Republic of Suriname president Chandrikapersad Santokhi with President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention last year in January.
Meanwhile, India and Namibia are exploring possibilities regarding oil and gas cooperation.
During his visit to Namibia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last year said there is a much clearer picture of the possibilities before the two countries. “Closer cooperation in the field of energy, including in oil and gas, green hydrogen, and solar,” he has said.
India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, is dependent on crude oil from various sources in the global market to meet its domestic demand. (ANI)
India’s engagement with South Africa and Namibia encompasses various sectors such as trade, investment, development partnership, and people-to-people exchanges….reports Asian Lite News
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s official visits to South Africa and Namibia from 1 June to 6 June, 2023, have further cemented India’s strong bonds with these countries, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
During his visit to Cape Town, South Africa, from 1-3 June, EAM participated in the BRICS foreign ministers‘ meeting and the Friends of BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on June 1 and 2, respectively.
The meetings provided an opportunity for EAM to present India’s perspectives on global and regional developments, global economic recovery, and the functioning of multilateral institutions, including BRICS.
The Joint BRICS Foreign ministers‘ statement issued on 1 June reflected the collective stance of the member nations. In addition to the multilateral engagements, EAM held separate bilateral interactions with South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor and other foreign ministers attending the BRICS and Friends of BRICS meetings.
EAM also met with the President of South Africa, along with other BRICS ministers, to discuss bilateral issues of mutual interest. During his visit, Jaishankar also addressed and interacted with the Indian community in Cape Town, highlighting the progress made in bilateral relations over the past three decades and India’s contributions within the BRICS framework.
Following his visit to South Africa, EAM traveled to Namibia from 4-6 June. This was the first visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of Namibia. During the visit, EAM called on Hage Geingob, President of Namibia and also co-chaired the inaugural Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (DPM).
The meetings provided a platform for discussing bilateral cooperation across various sectors and identifying new areas of collaboration. During his visit, EAM also addressed the Indian Diaspora in Namibia, highlighting the importance of their contributions to the strengthening of bilateral ties, and met with the Indian diamond business community.
Additionally, EAM inaugurated the India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) in Windhoek, which will further enhance cooperation in the field of technology and capacity building.
The MEA’s statement emphasized that EAM Jaishankar’s visits to South Africa and Namibia have reinforced the deep-rooted ties and commitment between India and these countries. The visits provided an excellent opportunity to enhance bilateral cooperation, expand economic partnerships, and explore new avenues for collaboration.
India’s engagement with South Africa and Namibia encompasses various sectors such as trade, investment, development partnership, and people-to-people exchanges.
The MEA further highlighted that EAM Jaishankar’s visits have laid a solid foundation for continued engagement and cooperation between India and these countries, contributing to the further strengthening of the friendship and mutual understanding between the nations.
The India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) is built with Indian assistance…reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the Namibia University’s fully equipped IT center, known as The India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) built with Indian assistance.
The center, equipped with cutting-edge IT infrastructure, is a product of the collaborative efforts between India and Namibia in development, cooperation, and capacity-building. “It is an outcome of the development, cooperation and capacity-building partnership between India and Namibia. And it is being pursued in line with the shared desire to develop human resources, especially of the youth, and give them the right skills in the technology domain,” he said.
Delighted to participate in inauguration of India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) in Windhoek.
Thank DPM and FM Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Minister of Higher Education Itah Kandjii-Murangi for joining.
While addressing the inauguration event of the INCEIT, EAM Jaishankar said that it reflects the long-standing people-to-people friendship and linkages between India and Namibia.
This centre started offering courses going back to November 2019, when the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) provided the course materials, the reference books and much of the IT hardware and software, EAM said.
“The remaining installations were completed in very challenging circumstances during the Pandemic,” Jaishankar added.
Speaking on the trainers teaching at the INCEIT, EAM informed that six master trainers from Namibia were given training in CDAC in India.
The Centre is additionally equipped with a CDAC PARAM Supercomputer with High-Performance Computing (HPC) Applications. Now, since its deployment, the supercomputer has seen the installation of numerous application software to ensure its optimum usage.
Acknowledging the support and collaboration of the Vice Chancellor and his team, Minister Jaishankar expressed gratitude for their “unstinted support and collaboration to make this project a reality with the objective of developing industry-oriented programmes to address skill requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, big data analytics and e-governance applications and software development.”
The Centre has been able to offer courses and to train more than 275 professionals, government officials from various ministries students, teachers and researchers, Jaishankar informed.
Jaishankar also appreciated a student who won a reward in a cybersecurity competition.
“I’m happy to note that a student from this very centre has won a trophy with the first position at the 6th Namibia National Cybersecurity Competition,” Jaishankar said.
“The courses that the centre is offering are truly vital for Namibia in building a knowledge society, and this has to be done on the foundations of innovation and technology which will emerge from here,” he added.
Jaishankar said that India’s home-developed Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has revolutionised digital transactions in India, taking financial inclusion, to new levels that 40 per cent of the world’s real-time digital payments take place in India.
Speaking on the INCEIT again, Jaishankar said that the unique feature of this centre is that it is powered by the Param Supercomputer rightly named Arup.
The Centre is additionally equipped with a CDAC PARAM Supercomputer with High-Performance Computing (HPC) Applications.
Now, since its deployment, the supercomputer has seen the installation of numerous application software to ensure its optimum usage.
“This centre is the latest in our strong partnership with Africa, which particularly targets the gen next in Africa and India. It has been established in several locations across the continent vocational training centres, IT centres, science and technology parks, entrepreneurship development centres and geoinformatics applications for rural development,” Jaishankar said while concluding his address.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and Namibia to create and operate the India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) for training in specialised areas of Information Technology. The government of India initiated a proposal for the setting up of CEIT with the intent of having international outreach for imparting ICT education in Namibia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) signed an Agreement on July 16th, 2018 for the setting up of an India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) at the Namibia University of Science & Technology. (ANI)
This will be the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to the Republic of Namibia. During the visit, EAM will call on the top leadership of the country…reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday arrived in Windhoek to further strengthen relations with Namibia.
He was received by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu. “Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward,” Jaishankar tweeted.
This will be the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to the Republic of Namibia. During the visit, EAM will call on the top leadership of the country.
He will also meet with other Ministers of the Government of Namibia. EAM will also co-chair the inaugural Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian Deputy PM/ Foreign Minister.
He will also interact with the Indian Diaspora based in Namibia.
Before arriving in the Namibian capital on Sunday, the External Affairs Minister was in Cape Town, South Africa to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
In Cape Town, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar invoked the three-decade-old ties between India and South Africa stating that there is a very “deeply emotional” connection between the two countries. He said India’s and South Africa’s respective struggles were “deeply intertwined”.
Jaishankar made these remarks while interacting with the Indian diaspora in Cape Town.
Jaishankar also recalled that when South Africa got its independence, there was as much celebration in India as there was in there.
The EAM also said that India had invited President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa as the chief guest to the Republic Day in 2019.
“We have really India and South Africa located at two different continents, but working together very closely in the United Nations, in the BRICS of which we are members in a body called IPSA, which is India, Brazil and South Africa, and in a variety of ways between the two of us directly now,” he added.
The relations between India and South Africa in these three decades have “flowered in every conceivable sense”, Jaishankar noted. (ANI)
Prime Minister Modi released the eight Cheetahs on the occasion of his birthday on September 17 this year…reports Asian Lite News
Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah on Wednesday said after Namibia, now Cheetahs were expected to soon arrive from South Africa.
The first set of Cheetahs was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kuno National Park here in September, when eight of the big cats were flown in to revive their population in India after over half a century it went extinct in the country. Twelve new enclosures with all facilities were being built at Kuno in Sheopur district, the state minister added.
Minister Vijay Shah told ANI, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken up the initiative of re-introduction of Cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa.
“We have completed the first phase. After bringing eight Cheetahs from Namibia, we not only kept them in quarantine but also familiarised them with the environment and released them in an open enclosure. Now, these Cheetahs are hunting and they are in good health.”
Prime Minister Modi released the eight Cheetahs on the occasion of his birthday on September 17 this year.
“An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for the next phase is in process. 12 new enclosures with more facilities were being built at the Kuno National Park. Enclosures are ready but we are improving them further,” he said.
“Earlier enclosures were open ones, if a Cheetah got sick, we first had to tranquillise them, only after that we could do something. But now we have made a small cage in the new enclosure and we would give them food there.
“The Cheetahs will arrive in the small cage and we can take care of them there. We are going to provide many other facilities to them,” the minister added.
Vijay Shah said, “The big news for India is that very soon the dream of PM Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be achieved and we are bringing cheetahs from Africa.
“This project is of the Government of India and we are the foster mother who takes care of these cheetahs. We will protect them and take them forward.”
In the September lot, of the eight cheetahs, five were females, and they were flown in from Windhoek in Namibia to Gwalior and then transferred to Kuno in helicopters. (ANI)
All these cheetahs will be taken to Kuno on the same day by two helicopters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release them into the park from the Quarantine Centre…reports Asian Lite News
Cheetahs will be seen running again in India after 70 years, with India set to get eight of the big cats from Namibia.
A special cargo plane carrying these eight cheetahs will land in Jaipur on September 17 before the animals are sent to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur.
All these cheetahs will be taken to Kuno on the same day by two helicopters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release them into the park from the Quarantine Centre.
Officials at the Jaipur International Airport said that these cheetahs will be flagged off from Namibian capital Windhoek at 9 p.m. on September 16 and the plane will reach land here at around 8 a.m. the next day after a journey of 11 hours.
Modi’s birthday
The Cheetah Reintroduction Project, which aims to restore the population of cheetahs in the country, will formally take off on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, September 17, 2022.
IndianOil, as the lead energizer of this project, will be supporting the National Tiger Conservation Authority with Rs 50.22 Crore for taking the project forward.
“IndianOil is proud to welcome the Cheetahs back to Indian soil. It is an affirmation of IndianOil’s resolve to align with Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to preserve and enhance India’s wildlife and maintain a healthy ecological balance,” said S M Vaidya, the chairman of IndianOil.
“Restoring original cheetah habitats and their biodiversity should go a long way to stem the degradation and rapid loss of biodiversity. As the only corporate championing this special cause, we hope this project’s success will open up more avenues for crafting a sustainable future,” Vaidya added.
Cheetah was officially declared extinct in India, in 1952. Under the Species Recovery Program of the Government of India, species that become extinct are restored in their historic natural habitat.
PM Modi to visit Kuno National Park on his bday, to launch Cheetah reintroduction project https://t.co/i5E9gPfXaP
Some landmark projects supporting the program include the Restoration of Tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve and the Reintroduction of Gaur (Indian Bison) in Bandhavgarh. Now, the Kuno National Park will have cheetahs from Africa, marking a fresh start for the species in the country.
IndianOil’s financial support would be directed towards cheetah introduction endeavours, habitat management, protection, eco-development, staff training and veterinary healthcare. (IANS/ANI)
According to the MoU, the two countries will also share resources and expertise in Cheetah conservation in addition to training personnel…reports Asian Lite News
The stage is set for the reintroduction of cheetahs in Indian jungles after 70 years with India signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Namibia on Wednesday. Namibia, which has one of the world’s largest populations of the spotted feline, will provide Cheetahs to India.
According to the MoU, the two countries will also share resources and expertise in Cheetah conservation in addition to training personnel.
Cheetahs were pronounced extinct in India in 1952 due to illegal hunting and loss of natural habitat.
The Kuno-Palpur National Park in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh would be the new home of the fastest land mammal in the world, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said.
New action plan
In January this year, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav had said 50 cheetahs will be introduced in various National Parks over five years.
Discussions to bring the cheetah back to India were initiated in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India. Experts from across the world, officials of the Government of India including Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and representatives of the state governments met and decided to conduct site surveys to explore the reintroduction potential.
Former cheetah range states – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh – were prioritized.
Surveys for 10 sites were conducted between 2010 and 2012. Kuno National Park was considered ready for receiving cheetah with the least management interventions since a lot of investments had been done in this Protected Area for reintroducing Asiatic lions.
The national park is 748 sq km in area, devoid of human settlements, and forms part of Sheopur-Shivpuri deciduous open forest landscape
While the current carrying capacity for Kuno National Park is a maximum of 21 cheetahs, once restored the larger landscape can hold about 36 cheetahs. The carrying capacity can be further enhanced by including the remaining part of the Kuno Wildlife Division (1,280 sq km) through prey restoration, the ministry said.
The locally extinct cheetah-subspecies of India is found in Iran and is categorized as critically endangered. An important consideration during such conservation efforts is that the sourcing of animals should not be detrimental for the survival of the source population.
Since it was not possible to source the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah from Iran without affecting this sub-species, India decided to source cheetahs from Southern Africa, which can provide India with substantial numbers of suitable cheetah for several years.
Cheetahs from Southern Africa have the maximum observed genetic diversity among extant cheetah lineages, an important attribute for a founding population stock. Moreover, the Southern African cheetahs are found to be ancestral to all the other cheetah lineages including those found in Iran, the ministry had explained in January this year.
The MoU was signed between Vice President of Namibia Nangolo Mbumba and the Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.
The main objective of the cheetah reintroduction project in India is to create a healthy cheetah metapopulation there, allowing the cheetah to fulfil its functional role as a natural predator and providing room for the cheetah to spread out within its historical range, thus supporting efforts to conserve the species worldwide.
For the country’s conservation ethic and culture, the cheetah holds a very significant place in history. There would be significant conservation implications if the cheetah were to return to India. Cheetahs are among the great carnivores with the fewest conflicts with human interests since they pose a minimal threat to people and often do not target large cattle.
As per the agreement, the two nations will cooperate and exchange knowledge and resources to further cheetah conservation in their home regions.
When appropriate, they will exchange individuals for training and instruction in wildlife management, along with the sharing of technical expertise, in the fields of climate change, environmental governance, environmental impact assessments, pollution, and waste management.
The main thrust areas of the MoU are:
* Biodiversity conservation with specific focus on conservation and restoration of cheetah in their former range areas from which they went extinct
* Sharing and exchange of expertise and capacities aimed at promoting cheetah conservation in two countries
* Wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity utilization by sharing good practices in technological applications, mechanisms of livelihood generation for local communities living in wildlife habitats, and sustainable management of biodiversity
* Collaboration in areas of climate change, environmental governance, environmental impact assessments, pollution and waste management and other areas of mutual interest
* Exchange of personnel for training and education in wildlife management, including sharing of technical expertise, wherever relevant.
Namibia expects over 500,000 int’l tourist arrivals in 2022
Namibia expects over 500,000 international tourist arrivals in 2022, up from 354,508 arrivals recorded in 2021, Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta said Thursday in a statement.
Shifeta said the pandemic has offered Namibia the opportunity to improve the enabling framework for rebooting the sector.
Namibia will launch a targeted intervention program in the tourism sector through the development and implementation of the National Tourism Recovery Plan 2022 to 2024, he said.
“The plan has identified necessary policies, strategic programs and activities required to build back the sector stronger and better,” he said.
