European Union Delegation Visits Erongo to Strengthen Green Industrialisation Partnerships

By: Hertha Ekandjo

A delegation from the European Union (EU), including EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins, Thorsten Hutter (Germany), Rui Carmo (Portugal), and Alberto de la Calle (Spain), are currently visiting the Erongo region to explore the country’s leadership in green industrialization.

The visit aimed to strengthen the Namibia-EU partnership under the #TeamEurope and #GlobalGateway initiatives, with a focus on key sectors such as green hydrogen, renewable energy, critical raw materials, and infrastructure development.

A major highlight of the mission was a tour of HyIron, Africa’s first industrial-scale green hydrogen project designed for climate-neutral iron production.

This initiative stands as a prime example of EU-Namibia collaboration in green industrialisation.

Key details of the HyIron project include the Pilot Phase (first quarter of 2025): 15,000 tons of direct reduced iron produced annually and phase 2: scaling up production to 200,000 tons with EU-backed funding

This project aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to foster sustainable, long-term partnerships around the world, focusing on green and innovative technologies.

In addition to the industrial visit, the EU delegation paid courtesy visits to Neville Andre-Itope, governor of Erongo, and other regional coastal leadership.

These meetings were focused on strengthening cooperation and exploring further opportunities for collaboration between Namibia and the EU in the green industrialisation sector.