Minister Iyambo hopes Namibia will attract more investments
Nickey Iyambo, Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry of Namibia invites Finnish businesses to invest in his country, as the relations between Finland and Namibia shift from development partnership towards trade.
"I hope that the Finnish companies will increase their investment in Namibia", Minister Iyambo said in a press conference at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Tuesday
In its relations with Namibia, Finland will have, by 2008, moved from bilateral grant assistance to other forms of cooperation. These include trade and tourism. Furthermore, so-called institutional cooperation between different bodies such as research institutes and authorities is to be increased as well.
Nickey Iyambo maintains that his country has been progressing in positive fashion. As Namibia became independent from South-Africa in the beginning of the 1990s, the transfer from oppressive regime to democracy was peaceful. Since then the country has enjoyed over fifteen years of freedom.
Iyambo stressed the need to look ahead and to develop Namibia democratically. There are, however, some difficult challenges. For example, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is as serious in Namibia as it is elsewhere in Southern Africa.
One of the challenges to Namibia is the implementation of land reform. According to Iyambo, 600 farms have been acquired in Namibia, 200 of which have been expropriated. The goal of land reform is a fairer and more equal distribution of land.
On his visit minister Iyambo met Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Jarmo Vaittinen, the Governor of Bank of Finland Erkki Liikanen, the Director General of National Public Health Institute Pekka Puska and the representatives of The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, Metsähallitus, National Board of Forests, selected Finnish companies and Finland-Namibia Association.
Minister Nickey Iyambo has previously served as Namibia's Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister of Local and Regional Government and Minister of Mines and Energy. In the 1960s and 1970s, he lived in Finland and studied medical and political sciences. He continues to maintain close ties with Finland.