Namibia and Estonia to forge stronger ties for international development
Today, the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) was honoured to host H.E. Dr Peya Mushelenga, the minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of Namibia.
He met with Klen Jäärats, ESTDEV’s executive director, to discuss fostering collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including e-governance and economic development.
During the meeting, H. E. Dr Mushelenga expressed the desire to further strengthen cooperation with Estonia, particularly in digital transformation, cybersecurity and data protection.
Over the past two decades, Namibia has come to boast strong e-state foundations, a lively local startup ecosystem and a general education system that is constantly improving.
“There are many similarities between Estonia and Namibia. Both nations embody agility, adaptability, and a relentless focus on success—key ingredients for crafting a human-centric digital government and nurturing a thriving business environment. We share a deep commitment to data protection, cybersecurity and inclusivity for every citizen. It has been an absolute honour to welcome Dr Mushelenga and reinforce the strong bonds we’ve cultivated,” said Jäärats.
Estonia and Namibia established a diplomatic relationship in 2004, and ESTDEV is excited to continue its contributions to the country’s ongoing development. One of Namibia’s biggest gains in establishing a strong democracy has been the ongoing development of e-governance, a goal that Estonia has championed with the country since 2013.
Estonia’s e-Governance Academy has collaborated with Cybernetica to develop the Nam-X data exchange and interoperability system. This platform is now the interface through which Namibia’s e-government services development has begun.
ESTDEV has established good working relationships with Namibian officials, international organisations and European donors to move forward with new cooperation projects. We are currently implementing two bilateral projects in Namibia on interoperability and heritage-based entrepreneurship. Our regional projects on innovation ecosystem support, digital transformation, twin transition and empowering women and girls include Namibia as a stakeholder.
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