India, Namibia ink key MoUs in entrepreneurship, health; join CDRI, Global Biofuels Alliance

Windhoek [Namibia], July 9 (ANI): India and Namibia exchanged MoUs in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, on Wednesday.

The MoU focuses on setting up the Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Namibia.The second MoU Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.

Further, Namibia formally joined two key initiatives: the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance. The letters of acceptance for these memberships were exchanged during Prime Minister Modi's visit.

A notable announcement was also made from Namibia regarding the launch of a digital payments system in the country later this year. This development is the result of a UPI technology licensing agreement signed between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Bank of Namibia in April 2024. 

Currently, PM Modi is in Namibia for a State visit at the invitation of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi was warmly received by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek, Namibia, where the two leaders shook hands.

After arriving at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, PM Modi was met with a warm reception, as he was greeted by the Namibian Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi. 

Follwing his warm reception, he arrived at the hotel in Namibia's capital, Windhoek, on Wednesday, where he will stay during his State Visit. PM Modi was greeted with a warm and culturally rich welcome upon his arrival at the hotel.

The reception, marked by a blend of Yoga performances and enthusiastic greetings from the Indian diaspora, underscored the significance of this historic visit, the first by Prime Minister Modi to Namibia and the third-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister.

PM Modi also warmly greeted members of the diaspora, shaking hands, listening to their enthusiastic messages, and graciously accepting gifts and portraits presented by the community.

PM Modi arrived in Namibia after concluding his two-day State visit to Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.

Namibia is the final stop in the Prime Minister's five-nation tour, which also included visits to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil.

The visit marked a significant milestone in the India-Namibia partnership, which has been growing stronger over the years. Notably, in 2022, Namibia transferred eight cheetahs to India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Project Cheetah', which aims to reintroduce the only large carnivore species that went extinct in India.

In this context, the Government of India initiated G2G consultative meetings with Namibia, which culminated in the signing of an MoU between the two countries on July 20 2022, for cheetah conservation, as per MEA.

Following the signing of the MoU, a historic first wild-to-wild intercontinental translocation took place on September 17, 2022, when eight cheetahs were transported from Namibia to India. They were released into quarantine bomas by the Prime Minister of India, it added. (ANI)