Prime Minister of Namibia regrets the misunderstanding arising from the
MOT programme
Press release 390/2008
17 October, 2008
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen stresses the
application of new instruments in Finland’s development cooperation. “In
Namibia the new means of our development cooperation have been received
extremely well, and they have yielded positive results.” This came out
when Väyrynen met with Nahas Angula, Prime Minister of Namibia, during
his visit to Namibia on 16–17 October.
“Finland has a selection of instruments available for use, by means of
wide-ranging partnerships, to support development in Namibia now and in
future. Good examples of present-day development cooperation instruments
include cooperation between institutions and support for cooperation
between businesses. Our intention is to use these instruments to support
development of the private sector, above all. In this way, we promote
socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development.”
Prime Minister Nahas Angula was highly satisfied with Finnish–Namibian
cooperation. At the same time, Prime Minister Angula expressed deep
regret at the misunderstanding created by the way the Finnish
Broadcasting Company’s MOT television programme shown in Finland on 6
October had discussed Economic Partnership Agreements, or EPAs.
“Finland has not failed us,” Angula emphasised.
EPAs are agreements that strive to promote a partner country’s
development by means of trade and development policy, and to advance
regional cooperation among developing countries. At their meeting,
Väyrynen and Angula discussed Economic Partnership Agreements
extensively, addressing their effects, in particular, on Namibia.
“The European Commission negotiates the agreements with Namibia. We have
encouraged the Commission to be flexible – also with regard to
timetables. We have promised Namibians that we will stress these
considerations to the Commission, and we have kept our promise,”
Väyrynen stated during the ministers’ joint press conference, held in
Namibia.
Additional information: Head of Unit Pertti Anttinen, mobile tel. +358
40 353 7634, and Riikka Manner, Press Attaché to the Minister for
Foreign Trade and Development, mobile tel. +358 400 739 824