Namibia and UNCTAD Launch Report on Value Addition in Energy Transition Minerals

Namibia and UNCTAD Launch Report on Value Addition in Energy Transition Minerals. On 19 February 2026, the Namibian Government and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) officially launched a joint report titled Rapid Assessment of Value Addition and Diversification within and beyond the Critical Energy Transition Minerals Value Chain. The study aims to reposition Namibia’s role in the global economy by moving beyond raw resource extraction toward sustainable industrialization.

Delivering the keynote address, Honourable Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Minister of International Relations and Trade, described the report as a cornerstone of the government’s economic agenda. She emphasized that the 8th Administration’s priorities are anchored in fiscal stability and deepened investment, with a focus on expanding productive capacity. She also expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for funding the study, cautioning that global competition for strategic resources is intensifying.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan highlighted the urgency of diversification, noting that two-thirds of developing nations remain commodity-dependent. She remarked that Namibia is uniquely positioned to lead in the energy transition, with assets such as the 6th National Development Plan and the Port of Walvis Bay providing a foundation for linking resources to specific products and markets.

Ambassador Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Director General of the National Planning Commission, stressed that mineral wealth alone does not guarantee success without a committed diversification agenda. UN Representative Hopolong Phororo echoed this sentiment, noting that the assessment aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2025–2029) to foster a people-centered, environmentally responsible economy.

Representing the donor’s perspective, Mr. Noriaki Sadamoto of the Embassy of Japan reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting Namibia in harnessing its mineral potential for inclusive and long-term development.

The report is expected to serve as a roadmap for Namibia’s industrial transformation, ensuring that resource endowment translates into tangible prosperity.