Namibia’s TICAD 9 push opens new chapter with Japan
STAFF REPORTER
Namibia’s presence at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) has given fresh impetus to ties with Japan, capped by a bilateral summit that put investment, agriculture and skills at the centre of a renewed partnership.
Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare led Namibia’s delegation to the three-day summit in Yokohama (20–22 August), where Japan convened African leaders under the theme “Co-create innovative solutions with Africa.”
On 22 August, Ngurare held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. According to Japan’s foreign ministry read-out, the two leaders agreed to work closely to promote Japanese investment in Namibia - particularly in mineral and energy resources and green hydrogen - and to deepen support aligned to Namibia’s needs in the agricultural sector. They also concurred on human-capital development with a focus on youth. Ishiba congratulated Namibia on its 35th independence anniversary and Ngurare’s inauguration, noting Japan’s intent to mobilise both public and private sectors in support of job creation and economic growth in Namibia.
Namibia’s engagement dovetailed with TICAD 9’s broader agenda - co-hosted by Japan, the AU Commission, the UN, UNDP and the World Bank - which emphasised investment partnerships, clean energy, digital inclusion, food systems and skills. UNDP’s closing note highlighted “bold commitments” to Africa’s leadership in global solutions, while the AU’s Yokohama Declaration captured the summit consensus to co-create innovation with Africa.
Officials framed the week as a reset for Namibia-Japan relations. The Prime Minister’s Office and Namibia’s foreign ministry documented Ngurare’s programme at the opening and high-level side events, underscoring Windhoek’s pitch on green hydrogen and investment facilitation alongside food systems and local-economy themes on the margins of TICAD.
Why it matters for bilateral ties
The summit sent a clear investment signal. Tokyo explicitly invited partnership with Japanese firms in Namibia’s energy transition projects - most notably green hydrogen - as well as in minerals and agriculture. This creates a defined lane for follow-up missions, financing and risk cover through Japanese agencies.
Equally important was the commitment to people and productivity. By agreeing to prioritise youth and skills development, both governments underlined the importance of building a strong human-capital base. The approach aligns with Namibia’s growth agenda and extends Japan’s long-running technical cooperation, setting up practical pipelines for training and technology transfer.
Finally, Namibia’s diplomacy at TICAD offered a multilateral lift. By tying its investment priorities to TICAD’s co-host network - the AU, UNDP and World Bank - Windhoek positioned itself to tap into blended finance and technical support pledged at the summit. This widens the scope of cooperation beyond bilateral agreements, linking Namibia’s needs to global frameworks.
The road ahead
With summit diplomacy done, Windhoek and Tokyo are expected to translate the Yokohama momentum into sectoral working groups, investor roundtables and project preparation - especially in green hydrogen value chains, agri-productivity, and skills programmes. The test will be how quickly both sides move from a favourable political signal to bankable projects anchored in TICAD 9’s outcomes and the Yokohama Declaration.
Namibia’s presence at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) has given fresh impetus to ties with Japan, capped by a bilateral summit that put investment, agriculture and skills at the centre of a renewed partnership.
Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare led Namibia’s delegation to the three-day summit in Yokohama (20–22 August), where Japan convened African leaders under the theme “Co-create innovative solutions with Africa.”
On 22 August, Ngurare held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. According to Japan’s foreign ministry read-out, the two leaders agreed to work closely to promote Japanese investment in Namibia - particularly in mineral and energy resources and green hydrogen - and to deepen support aligned to Namibia’s needs in the agricultural sector. They also concurred on human-capital development with a focus on youth. Ishiba congratulated Namibia on its 35th independence anniversary and Ngurare’s inauguration, noting Japan’s intent to mobilise both public and private sectors in support of job creation and economic growth in Namibia.
Namibia’s engagement dovetailed with TICAD 9’s broader agenda - co-hosted by Japan, the AU Commission, the UN, UNDP and the World Bank - which emphasised investment partnerships, clean energy, digital inclusion, food systems and skills. UNDP’s closing note highlighted “bold commitments” to Africa’s leadership in global solutions, while the AU’s Yokohama Declaration captured the summit consensus to co-create innovation with Africa.
Officials framed the week as a reset for Namibia-Japan relations. The Prime Minister’s Office and Namibia’s foreign ministry documented Ngurare’s programme at the opening and high-level side events, underscoring Windhoek’s pitch on green hydrogen and investment facilitation alongside food systems and local-economy themes on the margins of TICAD.
Why it matters for bilateral ties
The summit sent a clear investment signal. Tokyo explicitly invited partnership with Japanese firms in Namibia’s energy transition projects - most notably green hydrogen - as well as in minerals and agriculture. This creates a defined lane for follow-up missions, financing and risk cover through Japanese agencies.
Equally important was the commitment to people and productivity. By agreeing to prioritise youth and skills development, both governments underlined the importance of building a strong human-capital base. The approach aligns with Namibia’s growth agenda and extends Japan’s long-running technical cooperation, setting up practical pipelines for training and technology transfer.
Finally, Namibia’s diplomacy at TICAD offered a multilateral lift. By tying its investment priorities to TICAD’s co-host network - the AU, UNDP and World Bank - Windhoek positioned itself to tap into blended finance and technical support pledged at the summit. This widens the scope of cooperation beyond bilateral agreements, linking Namibia’s needs to global frameworks.
The road ahead
With summit diplomacy done, Windhoek and Tokyo are expected to translate the Yokohama momentum into sectoral working groups, investor roundtables and project preparation - especially in green hydrogen value chains, agri-productivity, and skills programmes. The test will be how quickly both sides move from a favourable political signal to bankable projects anchored in TICAD 9’s outcomes and the Yokohama Declaration.
