Namibia

Political relations

Relations between France and Namibia are good, built on the legacy of our recognition in the early 1980s – before independence –of SWAPO as the legitimate representative of this country resisting colonization, although this memory is fading among the younger generations.

More recently, President Nandi-Ndaitwah shared her desire to see Namibia diversify its partners and particularly to see the French-Namibian relationship grow deeper.

Economic relations

After six consecutive years of growth, trade between France and Namibia ebbed in 2024 (down 20% to €226 million). This drop can be explained for the most part by a reduction in French imports from Namibia ( down 24% to €189 million), linked to lower uranium flows (71% of the total). French exports to Namibia, on the other hand, have risen (up 14% to €37 million), boosted by an increase in sales of transport equipment. Despite this momentum, our trade remains unbalanced (deficit of €152 million). While Namibia is a marginal trade partner in terms of volume (ranking 145^th among our customers, 90^th among our suppliers), it still has strategic importance for France’s energy security. It ranks third among our suppliers of natural uranium (lawfully exported), accounting for 18% of our imports in value.