Namibia and Finland are strengthening cooperation on sustainable development through a Circular Economy Dialogue aimed at turning policy commitments into practical solutions for economic transformation.
The dialogue, hosted by the Embassy of Finland, together with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), brought together policymakers, academics, businesses, and community actors to explore circular economy solutions relevant to Namibia's development goals.
Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jukka Pajarinen, said the circular economy is central to economic transformation and sustainable development.
"Let me also begin by thanking our Namibian partners and all those involved in organising this dialogue, including the wonderful embassy. To make this circular economy effective, we need the cooperation of all actors, and thereby it's encouraging to see colleagues from the public sector, business, civil society, and the wider innovation community gathered here today."
Programme Director for Circular Economy at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, Kari Herlevi, said the principles behind the circular economy are rooted in practices that communities have used for generations.
"It's a five-year programme, and Sitra is leading the whole effort, especially Policy Lab and Knowledge Lab, and NABEL is focusing on the Business Lab, but we are working across these different sectors together. To give you a little bit more of a concrete view on the centre, first of all, the cross-copy priorities are about roadmaps and policies, including ESTR and digital product passports and business models, but also we have sectoral priorities going from materials to product value chains and business construction."
Representing the government, Deputy Director of the Bilateral Department at the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, Rodney Sikopo, said Namibia values its longstanding partnership with Finland, a country widely recognised for its leadership in circular economy policies and sustainable technologies.
"For Namibia, this approach resonates strongly with our national priorities. As a country endowed with abundant natural resources and vibrant communities, Namibia values responsible resource management, value addition and sustainable industrialisation. Secondly, economic principles offer a framework to strengthen local value chains, promote innovation within communities, and boost the competitiveness of our industries."
The discussions are expected to contribute to Namibia's national objectives of sustainable industrialisation, green growth and climate resilience while creating new economic opportunities.