A significant milestone in Namibia's space and technology industry was reached this week when China gave the Southern African nation a satellite data receiving ground station.
Namibia will be able to receive and interpret real-time satellite data for use in fields including agriculture, disaster management, and environmental monitoring thanks to the country's first such facility, which is situated at the Telecom Earth Station outside of Windhoek.
Namibia's space capabilities are now enhanced by the station, which was turned over on Thursday.
Chinese Ambassador Zhao Weiping represented China during the handover event, which was presided over by prime minister Elijah Ngurare, who was acting in place of president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“This marks a major milestone in the advancement of science, technology and innovation as key enablers of national development,” Ngurare read from Nandi-Ndaitwah’s statement.
She said the official handover represented a concrete step towards realising Namibia’s national development objectives and its long-term industrialisation agenda.
“This agenda is driven by knowledge, innovation and modern technologies, supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure,” the president stated.
“My humble request is to all sector ministries, officers, agencies to maximise the benefits of this strategic infrastructure."
The handover comes at a time Namibia is positioning itself as a significant hub for space observation and technology.
“Namibia recognises its clear skies and unique geographic position as a sovereign advantage, positioning it as a premier global hub for space observation,” Nandi-Ndaitwah added.
In 2025, the cabinet approved the drafting of the Space Science and Technology Bill.
Weiping said the handover, “This demonstrates China’s strong willingness to support African countries’ efforts to advance their science and technology development.”
He disclosed that the station will be wholly-run by Namibia, with China training technicians to operate the facility.
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