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 Germany |  Namibia |
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Germany–Namibia relations are thebilateral relationship ofGermany andNamibia. This relationship is of particular importance as Namibia was colonized and occupied by theGerman Empire in the 19th century. There is also a community of approximately 30,000German Namibians residing in Namibia today.[1] Both nations are members of theUnited Nations. Culturally, both countries are part of theGermanosphere. The current[update] ambassador of Namibia to Germany isJerobeam Shaanika.
First contacts between people of the two countries took place when German missionaries were hired by theLondon Missionary Society to commence working in Southern Namibia during the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century.[2]
During theScramble for Africa, while present-day Namibia was occupied byGermany and known asGerman South West Africa, the United Kingdom occupiedWalvis Bay and incorporated the port area to its possession in theCape Colony. In 1890, the British government apportioned theCaprivi Strip to the Germans. This would give Germany access to theZambezi River and its other East African territories, and it would give up its claims onZanzibar (which was transferred to the United Kingdom).[3]
Between 1904 and 1908, Germany commenced agenocide against the Herero and Nama people of Namibia. The genocide began in 1904 after a Herero and Nama rebellion over German seizures of their land and cattle. In retaliation, the German military administration led byLothar von Trotha called for the extermination of the population in response.[4] Tens of thousands Herero and Nama people were killed during the genocide.
In 1915, duringWorld War I, troops from South Africa invaded and occupied the territory. After the war, with the signing of theTreaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to transfer its territory to theUnion of South Africa in 1920, which at the time was a self-governing dominion of theBritish Empire.[5] The territory would be calledSouth West Africa for the next 70 years.
In 1966,SWAPO launched an armed struggle against South African occupation which became known as theSouth African Border War.[5] In 1989 hostilities ceased in Namibia and in March 1990, Namibia became an independent nation. Namibian independence coincided withGerman reunification in October of that same year with both nations establishing diplomatic relations. In March 1998, German PresidentRoman Herzog paid an official visit to Namibia.[6]
In August 2004, German minister for development,Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, recognized Germany's historical and moral responsibility for the genocide of the Herero and Nama people after 100 years. As a result, Germany decided to provide development aid to Namibia.[6] In September 2011, the German government returned skulls from colonial-era killings to Namibia. More skulls and bones were returned during separate ceremonies in 2014 and 2018.[6]
In 2015, negotiations start between the German and Namibian governments regarding an official apology and aid money. In 2016, the German government recognized the mass murder of Herero and Nama by German troops as genocide in an official document.[6]
In May 2021, both countries announced that an agreement has been reached in which Germany recognizes the atrocities committed against the Herero and Nama people in the early 1900s as genocide. The German government pledged to spend €1.1 billion over 30 years for infrastructure and development aid in Namibia. The payments do not include reparations.[4]
In 2020, thebilateral aid from Germany to Namibia amounted to €45.16 million.[7]
Relations soured between Germany and Namibia in 2024, after presidentHage Geingob criticized Germany's support forIsrael in theSouth Africa v. Israel case at theInternational Court of Justice. Geingob said that Germany had an "inability to draw lessons from its horrific history."[8]
Both nations have signed a few bilateral agreements such as an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital (1996) and an agreement on the promotion of investments (1997).[9][10]
Approximately 120,000 German visitors visit Namibia each year.[10] There are direct flights betweenFrankfurt andWindhoek withEurowings Discover.
In 2018, trade between both nations totaled €200 million Euros.[10] Germany's main exports to Namibia include: machines, food products, electro-technical products, electronics, chemical products, automotive products, measurement and control technology. Namibia's main export products to Germany include: non-ferrous metals, food products, raw materials (except fuels), automotive products, machinery, leather products and natural oils.[11]
In August 2021, the two countries signed a joint declaration of intent (JCoI) in order to establish agreen hydrogen partnership.[12] In May 2023, a Namibian company,Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, which is a subsidiary of Germany-headquarteredEnertrag, agreed a $10 billion green hydrogen project with the Namibian government to export its production to Europe once built in theTsau ǁKhaeb Sperrgebiet National Park.[13]
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