Namibia must move from Natural Resource Endowment to Technological Sovereignty, Industrial Transformation and Shared Prosperity.
Swapo Party MP and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Dr Tobie Aupindi says Parliament has an important role in ensuring that legislation and policies support mineral beneficiation, industrial development and local economic participation.
Speaking during a discussion on nuclear energy and Africa's economic development at the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow, Dr. Aupindi said it made little economic sense for Namibia, the world's third-largest uranium producer, to export its mineral resources without pursuing greater local beneficiation.
He said President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah had placed mineral beneficiation, including uranium value addition, high on the national agenda, requiring Parliament to strengthen its oversight of the sector.
"She advocates a stronger mineral beneficiation, including uranium now. It makes no economic sense when you are the third largest uranium producer in the world if there is no mineral beneficiation and uranium beneficiation. I'm very happy that the new generation of African leadership is looking at value addition and socio-economic involvement, and this is where the centrepiece of Parliament's oversight work and the regulation and legal framework lie, laying down the foundation to ensure that as you are industrialising, the laws of the land are actually much stronger and protect more local communities and local economies."
Dr. Aupindi said uranium development presented opportunities beyond mining, including energy independence, economic stability, technological advancement and industrial transformation.
He also emphasised the importance of public participation in building trust around nuclear-related projects.
"Apart from being the 3rd largest producer of uranium, the Headspring project in Omaheke, Leonardville, was to create understanding between the local community and not just understanding, actually community seeing themselves as part of the benefit sharing that comes, because we're talking about shared prosperity, involving scholarships, where they have had students coming here to Russia to study about the nuclear technologies, you have local empowerment, and you have socio-economic empowerment in order to ensure that you build trust. The conflict arises when you leave people behind."
Dr. Aupindi maintained that communities must be involved from the grassroots level to ensure that development projects respond to their needs and contribute to shared prosperity.
He said Namibia should continue pursuing partnerships that facilitate technology transfer, local empowerment and broader economic benefits.