US delegation seeks deeper Namibia ties in energy and critical minerals
Staff Reporter THE United States is seeking to deepen its economic and energy partnership with Namibia, with a senior US delegation holding high-level engagements focused on energy security, critical minerals, infrastructure, investment and emerging technologies. The delegation, led by US Ambassador to Namibia John Giordano and comprising Deputy Under Secretary of Energy Mike Kopp and ... The post US delegation seeks deeper Namibia ties in energy and critical minerals appeared first on Informant
THE United States is seeking to deepen its economic and energy partnership with Namibia, with a senior US delegation holding high-level engagements focused on energy security, critical minerals, infrastructure, investment and emerging technologies.
The delegation, led by US Ambassador to Namibia John Giordano and comprising Deputy Under Secretary of Energy Mike Kopp and US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Country Manager for Africa and the Middle East Sonja Horgen, concluded a week of meetings with senior Namibian government officials, state-owned enterprises, industry leaders and private-sector partners.
“The future of US-Namibia cooperation in energy and critical minerals has never been brighter. By pairing Namibia’s vast natural wealth and stable investment climate with American innovation, capital and technology, we are building a partnership that delivers secure supply chains for the world and real economic prosperity for both our nations,” Giordano said.
Photos: U.S. Embassy Namibia
The delegation also represented the United States at the Namibian Mining Expo and met with Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse to discuss opportunities to expand cooperation in critical minerals, energy infrastructure, high-value industrial investment and emerging technologies.
The delegation engaged with several state-owned enterprises and private-sector organisations, including NamPower, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group, the Trans-Kalahari Corridor Secretariat and Rail Project Management Office, the Chamber of Mines, Namdeb, CEN Gas, Deep Yellow, Rhino Resources, the Namibian Energy Institute, the Atomic Energy Board and the Namibian Petroleum Operators Association (NAMPOA).
A key focus of the discussions was strengthening Namibia’s electricity grid, expanding generation capacity and identifying areas for US support in energy planning.
The US delegation said reliable electricity would be fundamental to Namibia’s ambitions in mining, industrialisation, digital infrastructure and broader economic growth, making expanded generation capacity and grid resilience important areas of bilateral cooperation.
The delegation also discussed critical minerals, rare earth elements and uranium, with the US highlighting Namibia’s position as the world’s third-largest uranium producer and its deposits of strategically important minerals.
Discussions with public- and private-sector stakeholders covered investment and regulatory conditions, mineral development, infrastructure and opportunities to increase the value Namibia derives from its natural resources.
USTDA also explored potential support for infrastructure projects that could facilitate mineral processing and value addition, including in the uranium sector.
The delegation further met representatives of Rhino Resources, Shell and NAMPOA to discuss the development of Namibia’s emerging offshore oil and gas industry.
The US Embassy said the discussions pointed to Namibia’s potential to attract investment in the sector and become a strategic partner for the United States and an important contributor to Southern Africa’s energy future.
Regional infrastructure and trade also featured prominently, with discussions involving the Trans-Kalahari Corridor Secretariat and Walvis Bay Corridor Group focusing on logistics, infrastructure and regional supply chains for clean cooking fuels, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as well as critical minerals and other energy commodities.
The US delegation said the Port of Walvis Bay and transport corridors linking Namibia with Botswana, Zambia and the wider region could strengthen Namibia’s role as an Atlantic gateway for Southern Africa’s energy and mineral resources.
The visit also included discussions on Namibia’s civil nuclear ambitions and potential US cooperation, including the possible future use of American microreactor and small modular reactor technologies to support the country’s growing energy needs.
Kopp said the visit highlighted opportunities for further cooperation in energy access and security, critical mineral supply chains and local beneficiation, hydrocarbons to support industrialisation, and civil nuclear energy.
“This visit reinforced the vast opportunities for US-Namibian partnership in pursuit of shared energy goals, including furthering energy access and security; a robust critical minerals supply chain with local beneficiation; hydrocarbons to support industrialisation; and advancing the civil nuclear energy process,” Kopp said.
The US Embassy said the visit reflected a broader shift in bilateral economic relations towards investment, energy security, critical minerals, infrastructure and commercially driven development.
It said the United States, under President Donald Trump, remained committed to investing in high-standard mining and energy projects and developing mutually beneficial economic partnerships with resource-rich countries such as Namibia.
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