Zarif calls for enhanced banking, private sector ties with Namibia
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday called for more enhanced banking ties with Namibia and boosting the two countries’ private sectors cooperation.
Zarif in a meeting with Namibian Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandindaitwah said that Iran is ready for promoting cooperation with the southwest African country in other fields such as energy, water, construction, agriculture and modern technologies, IRNA reported.
The Namibian minister, for his part, welcomed any investment by Iran in agricultural and energy projects, particularly in renewable energies.
Zarif said the priority projects for the delegation is a proposed tractor factory, liquefied petroleum gas storage and engaging with Namibia’s scientific community.
The volume of trade between Iran and African countries surged by 23 percent in 2017 and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ambassador to Namibia, Vahid Karimi urged Namibia to be in on the action.
For this reason, an Iranian business delegation, led by Zarif, arrived in Namibia to attend Iran-namibia Economic Forum.
The forum attended by hundreds of local businesspeople, aimed to create viable business partnerships between Iranian and Namibian companies.
“Iran genuinely is offering its open arms to transfer knowledge and technology, to develop your beloved country, Namibia. For example, South Africa and Iran have signed eight agreements in various areas, including trade, under which they have agreed to boost non-oil trade to $2 billion by 2021. In a small scale, it could apply to Namibia too,” Karimi added.