The German-African Business Association has thrown its support to calls for Germany to review its visa regime with Namibia for ease of doing business in either country.
 
The Association pronounced itself during a panel discussion that delved into the business and investment opportunities in Namibia, alongside the Minister of International Relations and the Director-General of the National Planning Commission.

Germany's visa regime currently falls under the EU uniform Schengen visa policy.

However, the business community and travellers from Namibia have for years lamented the cumbersome processes experienced at the German Embassy to obtain the Schengen visa.

"I know of Namibians who tried to apply for visas at the German Embassy, unable to get an appointment at the Embassy; it takes days and days; some even bought their tickets; some even end up cancelling their tickets. Now if the German government, as we talk about special relationships, really thinks Namibia is that country with a special relationship, it needs to review its visa regime towards Namibians," said Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation," Dr. Peya Mushelenga.

The German-African Business Association is of the view that Germany has not experienced any influx of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa that would warrant the imposing of stringent visa regulations.

Christoph Kannengeiser, the CEO of the German-African Business Association, labelled the treatment of Namibian travellers as a shame, considering the impact it could have on trade relations.

"We have had this issue for decades now, and it is not only the business sector, not only Namibia but there are other states and visitors as well. I have been to Hamburg these days, and it is a shame that we invite people to come to Hamburg and we refuse to give them the visa. This is just unbelievable, and we have to solve this problem with our partners in the German government and our partners in the European Union."

The deregulation of the travel industry between Namibia and Germany could further provide a sectoral boost to tourism.

Germany ranks top in overseas tourist arrivals, with 80,000 travellers recorded in 2023, according to the latest tourism arrival statistics.

"There are daily flights between Frankfurt and Windhoek, and the biggest number is from Germany, so the visa discussion in itself set the opening and enlarging of that market, deregulating that market. The historic relationship in itself has actually been the precursor to what we see today. A lot of the other markets, like the US, broader Europe, and China, have numbers that are actually up to pre-COVID levels, so it means if we play and deregulate the travel requirements and on a friendly sort of exchange, you can imagine what can happen and perhaps look at how the logistics of tourism benefit both countries in the green future," said Obeth Kanjoze, DG of the National Planning Commission in Namibia.

Meanwhile, the Namibian government is set to implement the recently announced new visa requirements in April 2025.

The new visa requirements have been extended to travellers from Germany and 34 other countries, that would need to have a visa for entry in Namibia.