Foreign relations of Namibia
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{{EngvarB|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Politics of Namibia}}
Namibia follows a largely independent foreign policy, with strong affiliations with states that aided the independence struggle, including Nigeria, Libya, and Cuba.
In Africa, Namibia has been involved in conflicts in neighbouring Angola as well as Democratic Republic of the Congo.
International organizations
Namibia is a member of 47 international organizations. These are:
=United Nations=
File:Hopelong Ushona Ipinge & Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.jpg, Hopelong Ushona Ipinge (left) with President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Palácio do Planalto, Brasília in 2006]]
Namibia became the 160th member of the United Nations on 23 April 1990 upon independence.
International disputes
Namibia is involved in several minor international disputes.{{cite web
| title = CIA – The World Factbook – Namibia
| url = https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/namibia/
| publisher = CIA
| access-date = 9 November 2006
| archive-date = 10 January 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210110010829/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/namibia
| url-status = live
}}
- Commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River
- Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls
- Managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River
- Dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge
Diplomatic relations
List of countries which Namibia maintains diplomatic relations with:
Bilateral relations
=Africa=
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|{{flag|Angola}} | See Angola–Namibia relations
In 1999 Namibia signed a mutual defence pact with its northern neighbour Angola. This affected the Angolan Civil War that has been ongoing since Angola's independence in 1975. Namibia's ruling party SWAPO wanted to support the ruling party MPLA in Angola to fight the rebel movement UNITA, whose stronghold is in southern Angola, bordering Namibia. The defence pact allowed Angolan troops to use Namibian territory when attacking UNITA. The alliance between SWAPO and MPLA has deep roots and began as both Angola's and Namibia's ruling parties sought independence during the mid twentieth century and into the Angolan Civil War. In Angola, the leftist movement MPLA was fighting the rightist movement UNITA, which was supported by South Africa. In Namibia, SWAPO, then being a rebel movement, was fighting for independence from South Africa along the Angolan border. Angola allowed SWAPO to establish training and refugee camps for Namibians and PLAN (People's Liberation Army of Namibia) fighters. As MPLA and SWAPO shared a common ideological ground, and had a common enemy in South Africa, they came to cooperate. The Angolan civil war resulted in a large number of Angolan refugees coming to Namibia. At its peak in 2001 there were over 30,000 Angolan refugees in Namibia. The calmer situation in Angola has made it possible for many of them to return to their home with the help of UNHCR, and in 2004 only 12,600 remained in Namibia. | url = http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/statistics/opendoc.pdf?tbl=STATISTICS&id=44e5c7800&page=statistics | title = 2004 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook – Namibia | publisher = United Nations High Commission on Refugees | access-date = 26 August 2006 | archive-date = 24 August 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060824221929/http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/statistics/opendoc.pdf?tbl=STATISTICS&id=44e5c7800&page=statistics | url-status = live }} Most of them reside in the refugee camp Osire north of Windhoek. | |
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|{{flag|Botswana}} | See Botswana–Namibia relations
Botswana–Namibia relations are friendly, with the two neighbouring countries cooperating on economic development. Botswana gained independence from Britain in September 1966. Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence. | |
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|{{flag|Eswatini}} | 28 February 1992 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 February 1992{{Cite web |title=Diplomatic Relations Between Swaziland and Namibia as of 28 Feb. 1992 |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/1631622?ln=en |access-date=15 May 2023 |website=digitallibrary.un.org |archive-date=13 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113101249/https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/1631622?ln=en |url-status=live }}
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|{{flag|Ethiopia}} | During the South African occupation of Namibia, Ethiopia was one of the country's leading proponents abroad; Ethiopia and Liberia were the first two states to bring the question of independence for then South West Africa to the United Nations.[https://books.google.com/books?id=MA4mkNKXxqoC&dq=ethiopia+namibia+relations&pg=PA220 The South West Africa/Namibia dispute] by John Dugard
In 2007, the two governments signed an agreement which expanded air travel between the two states.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120119135029/http://www.kilil5.com/news/12989_ethiopia-namibia-sign-air-transp Ethiopia, Namibia sign air transport agreement]}} In December 2009, Namibia's Foreign Minister, Marko Hausiku met with Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin and noted the economic, science, technical and cultural agreements in place between the two countries and expressed a desire to improve the trade relations.[http://www.mfa.gov.et/Press_Section/publication.php?Main_Page_Number=4796 Ethiopia, Namibia working out to step up cooperation areas] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328075854/http://www.mfa.gov.et/Press_Section/publication.php?Main_Page_Number=4796 |date=28 March 2012 }}
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|{{flag|Liberia}} | In 1960, Liberia and Ethiopia brought litigation against apartheid South Africa in the International Court of Justice to end its occupation of Namibia.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111002192046/http://newliberian.com/?p=436 Liberia, Namibia Sign Agreement aimed at Strengthening Bilateral Relations]}} NewLiberian.com, 15 July 2008 As part of Liberia's support for Namibia's liberation struggle, many Namibian students received Liberian passports which helped them study abroad.
As of July 2008, a total of 5,900 Namibia Defence Force troops had been rotated through Liberia as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia.[http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=46410&no_cache=1 Liberia and Namibia to trade more] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603172923/http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=46410&no_cache=1 |date=3 June 2012 }} The Namibian, 15 July 2008 Namibia maintained a battalion of about 800 personnel in Grand Cape Mount county for several years, for most of the period part of UNMIL Sector 2, headquartered at Tubmanburg. In May 2005, Namibian troops were accused of sexual exploitation of young girls and women; three Namibian soldiers were sent home from the force after a United Nations investigation found them guilty of "engaging in sexual activity with civilians", which is against United Nations rules for peacekeepers.[http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=17979&no_cache=1 NDF to probe Liberia sex scandal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603172939/http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=17979&no_cache=1 |date=3 June 2012 }} The Namibian, 26 May 2005
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|{{flag|Nigeria}} | 21 March 1990 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 March 1990{{Cite book |title=Southern African Political History A Chronology of Key Political Events from Independence to Mid-1997 |publisher=Greenwood Press |year=1999 |pages=302}}
Namibia and Nigeria have binding bilateral agreements, but as of 2014, trade between the two countries was low. In March 2014, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan visited Namibia for Namibia's 24th independence day celebrations. The two countries also discussed establishing an oil refinery in Namibia for Nigerian oil.{{cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201403190252.html|title=Namibia, Nigeria to Improve Bilateral Relations|work=AllAfrica.com|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=26 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226042803/http://allafrica.com/stories/201403190252.html|url-status=live}}
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|{{flag|South Africa}} | See Namibia–South Africa relations
Upon independence in 1990, Namibia's economy was still tied to South Africa's.{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDF1331F930A15750C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=In Namibia, South African Is Center of Attention |work=The New York Times |date=23 March 1990}} To this day, the economy of Namibia is still closely contacted to South Africa through both institutional relationships (Southern African Customs Union, for example) and privately owned mining concessions.[http://www.iss.co.za/AF/profiles/Namibia/Economy.html Namibia – Economy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609185753/http://www.iss.co.za/AF/profiles/Namibia/Economy.html|date=9 June 2011}} The South African rand is still legal currency within Namibia, while the Namibian dollar is not so in South Africa and the currencies are traded on par locally.
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|{{flag|Zambia}} | 5 August 1990 | See Namibia–Zambia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 August 1990{{Cite book |title=Southern African Political History A Chronology of Key Political Events from Independence to Mid-1997 |publisher=Greenwood Press |year=1999 |pages=305}}
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|{{flag|Zimbabwe}} | See Namibia–Zimbabwe relations
The ruling parties of Namibia (since independence in 1990) and Zimbabwe (since independence in 1980) have been close since pre-independence days, as both were anti-colonial movements against white-minority governments.[https://web.archive.org/web/20040618100207/http://www.namibian.com.na/2004/June/national/04473CB0FF.html Zimbabwe heaps praise on Swapo's transition effort] by Tangeni Amupadhi, The Namibian, 3 June 2004 Namibia sent troops in the Namibia Defence Force to the Democratic Republic of the Congo alongside Zimbabwe in a SADC coalition to support President Joseph Kabila.[http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/48050 Namibia and Zimbabwe – the second liberation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185039/http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/48050 |date=29 October 2013 }} by Henning Melber, pambazuka.org, 13 May 2008
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=Americas=
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! style="width:12%;"| Formal Relations Began !Notes | ||
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|{{flag|Brazil}} | 1990 | See Brazil–Namibia relations |
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|{{flag|Canada}} | See Canada–Namibia relations
Canada's relationship with Namibia began in 1977 when Canada joined the Western Contact Group, a joint diplomatic effort of France, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and West Germany to bring an internationally acceptable transition to independence for Namibia. In 1990 official relations started; Canada has dispatched an Honorary Consul to Windhoek.[http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/southafrica-afriquedusud/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada_namibia-namibie.aspx?menu_id=60&menu=L Canada-Namibia relations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129053033/http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/southafrica-afriquedusud/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada_namibia-namibie.aspx?menu_id=60&menu=L |date=29 January 2011 }} Foreign Ministry of Canada Canada is one of the main destinations for Namibian refugees. Together with Botswana and Denmark, Canada has been granting asylum to people fleeing Namibia in the aftermath of the Caprivi conflict, and particularly the Caprivi treason trial that followed in which the Namibian government was accused of human rights violations.{{cite news |url=http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=2864 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111222142/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=2864 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 January 2013 |title=No Title |last=Inambao |first=Chrispin |newspaper=New Era |date=1 September 2004 |access-date=17 February 2012 }} Only in 2010 Canada has changed its standpoint and is now considering the CLA to be a terrorist organisation that has "attempted to usurp an elected government". Nonetheless, Canada received a steady inflow of Namibian immigrants who seek economic betterment under the pretense of humiliation and harassment in Namibia. In 2011 more than 1,000 Namibians entered Canada. Three-quarters of them applied for refugee status, but only a few were successful.{{cite news |title=The Great Trek |last=Muraranganda |first=Elvis |date=February 2012 |work=insight Namibia}}
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|{{flag|Cuba}} | See Cuba–Namibia relations
Cuban-Namibian relations date back to the Namibian War of Independence when Cuba politically, militarily and diplomatically supported the Namibian rebel organization and future ruling party, South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) against the military of Apartheid South Africa.[http://www.radiohc.cu/ingles/noticias/julio05/5julio/cuba7.htm Cuba-Namibia Joint Commission Meeting Kicks off in Havana]{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Radio Habana, Cuba, 5 July 2005 Since independence, Namibia and Cuba have held joint meetings every two years for Economic, Scientific-Technical and Commercial Cooperation. In 2005, it was reported that 1,460 Cuban professionals had worked in Namibia, including 208 in 2005.
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|{{flag|Mexico}} | 17 April 1990 | See Mexico–Namibia relations
Mexico recognized and established diplomatic relations with Namibia on 17 April 1990. In 1993, Mexico opened an embassy in Windhoek, however, the embassy was closed in 2002.{{cite web| url = http://infosen.senado.gob.mx/sgsp/gaceta/62/3/2015-03-05-1/assets/documentos/Dict_Rel_Ext_Embajador_SudAfrica.pdf| title = Mexico-Namibia relations (in Spanish)| access-date = 15 May 2017| archive-date = 2 April 2023| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230402063942/https://infosen.senado.gob.mx/sgsp/gaceta/62/3/2015-03-05-1/assets/documentos/Dict_Rel_Ext_Embajador_SudAfrica.pdf| url-status = live}}
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|{{flag|United States}} | See Namibia–United States relations
U.S.-Namibian relations are good and continue to improve. Characterized by shared democratic values, commitment to rule of law, and respect for human rights, the bilateral relationship has been strengthened through trade ties and U.S. assistance programs. Namibia has seized opportunities created by AGOA. Currently the SACU countries and the U.S. are negotiating a Trade, Investment and Development Cooperation Agreement, scheduled to be signed in 2008. Namibia has been included in President Bush's International Mother and Child HIV Initiative and the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) bilateral presence in Namibia has been extended until 2010. In addition to the embassy, the Centers for Disease Control, Peace Corps, and the United States Department of Defense have offices in Windhoek.
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=Asia=
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! style="width:12%;"| Formal Relations Began !Notes | ||
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|{{flag|China}} | See China–Namibia relations
Governmental relations were first established the day after Namibia's independence, but relations with Namibian independence movements date back to the 1960s.[http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/cena/eng/zngx/t410246.htm Interpretation of China-Namibia Relations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707040350/https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/cena/eng/zngx/t410246.htm |date=7 July 2022 }} in Foreign Ministry of the People's Republic of China China and Namibia have developed close economic relations, with trade increasing twofold between the two countries from 2003 to 2006. During a February 2007 visit, Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged Namibia "RMB 1 billion of concessional loans, 100 million US dollars of preferential export buyer's credit, RMB 30 million yuan of grants and RMB 30 million of interest-free loans..." | |
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|{{flag|India}} | See India–Namibia relations
Relations began between SWAPO and the Indian government prior to independence. In 2010, relations were described by Indian officials as "warm and cordial". India has been involved in training the Namibian Air Force and bilateral trade in 2008–09 stood at $80 million.[http://www.mea.gov.in/meaxpsite/foreignrelation/08fr03.pdf Indo-Namibian Relations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313200039/http://www.mea.gov.in/meaxpsite/foreignrelation/08fr03.pdf |date=13 March 2012 }} Ministry of External Affairs of India, September 2010
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|{{flag|Indonesia}} | See Indonesia–Namibia relations
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|{{flag|Israel}} | See Israel–Namibia relations
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|{{flag|Japan}} | See Japan–Namibia relations
Diplomatic relations between Japan and Namibia were established in March 1990.
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|{{flag|Malaysia}} | See Malaysia–Namibia relations
Both countries were once part of the British Empire and before Namibia achieved its independence, Malaysia has contributed to some operations in Namibia by sending a group of soldiers to help monitor the Namibian elections and peace process.{{cite book|author=Emmanuel Ike Udogu|title=Liberating Namibia: The Long Diplomatic Struggle Between the United Nations and South Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kdPadeeqVBIC&pg=PA185|year=2012|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-6576-7|pages=185–}} Today, the relations are much more focused in economic cooperation.
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|{{flag|Turkey}} | 1966{{cite web| url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-namibia.en.mfa| title=Relations between Turkey and Namibia| access-date=6 September 2016| archive-date=29 March 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329120857/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-namibia.en.mfa| url-status=live}} | See Namibia–Turkey relations
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=Europe=
=Namibia and the Commonwealth of Nations=
Namibia has been a Commonwealth republic since 1990, when South West Africa became independent of South Africa.
See also
Notes and references
{{reflist|30em}}
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite web
| title = Background Note: Namibia
| url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5472.htm#foreign
| publisher = U.S. Department of State
| access-date = 25 May 2019
| archive-date = 21 October 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201021205038/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5472.htm#foreign
| url-status = live
}}
{{refend}}
{{Foreign relations of the Commonwealth of Nations}}
{{Foreign relations of Namibia}}
{{Africa in topic|Foreign relations of}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foreign Relations of Namibia}}