- Namibia has benefited from its good relationship with China, following the successful Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.
- The new solar plant is expected to be completed in 18 months, and commercial operations are anticipated to commence in 2026.
Namibia has benefited from its good relationship with China, following the successful Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit that was recently held in Beijing.
The FOCAC synergies hinge upon win-win cooperation, which has seen Namibia’s state-owned power utility NamPower clinch a deal with two Chinese renewable energy companies, China Jiangxi International Economic and Chint New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd. The companies will install one of the largest solar energy projects in the southern African nation.
According to NamPower Managing Director Kahenge Haulofu, German Development bank, KfW would contribute N$1.4 billion (representing 80 per cent of the project), while NamPower will contribute the other balance to ensure 100 megawatts of clean solar energy are added to the national grid.
Before the latest renewable energy deal, despite Namibia boasting of too much sun exposure owing to desertification, Windhoek relied heavily on electricity imports from fellow Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts, comprising South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The China Jiangxi International Economic and Chint New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd’s new solar plant will tackle the country’s perennial energy scarcity while ensuring prices of power consumption come down.
The new solar plant is expected to be completed in 18 months, and commercial operations are anticipated to commence in 2026.
The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is an official forum between the People’s Republic of China and all states in Africa with the exception of the Kingdom of Eswatini. It is the primary multi-lateral coordination mechanism between African countries and China.
FOCAC was one of the first regional organisations established by China outside its territorial periphery. As of 2022, the members of FOCAC are 53 African countries (all except Eswatini), China, and the African Union Commission.
The agenda for the 2024 edition of this must-attend event for economic operators from both sides also includes the 8th China-Africa Business Leaders Conference. FOCAC, which celebrated its 24th anniversary this year, is a premier partnership between China and the African continent, based on the cardinal principles of solidarity, cooperation, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
It was established in October 2000 in Beijing, FOCAC is China’s oldest regional forum. The mechanism gained prominence in 2006 when Beijing announced the creation of a $5 billion China-Africa Development Fund.