Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
IT is not a matter of pessimism but the hard and harsh facts and reality that industrialisation as trumpeted by the current political leadership is nothing but a pipedream that shall never be realised, soonest or ever in Namibia.
Going by the experience of many African countries who 60 years or so after independence, are nowhere closer to industrialisation. A typical example being oil rich African nations, like Nigeria in West Africa, and closer to home, Namibia’s northern neighbour of Angola, that is not refining its own oil. Because simply it is not in the interest of world powers for Africa to industrialise instead of getting her the raw materials as raw as it has been.
Critical minerals is the buzzword currently by the world powers. Meaning there are a range of minerals that are critical to their own development and industries. Some, if not most, which these countries do not have but compelled to source, if needs be, grab forcefully from the developing countries, including Namibia. One such country being Venezuela.
Hence the United States of American (USA) continued interest in this Latin American country and attempts to install a proxy president there by disputing the legitimacy and fairness of the outcome of that country’s recent elections.
Thus, Namibia, among other countries, shall continue to be beholden to these world powers under the guise of development, only to get hold of these critical minerals. This is exactly what is happening in Namibia currently in terms of supposed investments.
Which have been trickling into the country, as little as it may have been against the best wishes of those wishing for more, and still to trickle in especially in the mining sector.
With investments for the much trumpeted green hydrogen being masterminded by none other those scrambling for critical minerals, following suit soon.
It is hard to see, given the vested interest of the developed countries in Namibia, in terms of investment in the development of green hydrogen, how such would first and foremost, be catering to the immediate interest of Namibians. Most of whom still, especially in the rural areas, remain largely underdeveloped in terms of energy. As most of the rural populations remain unconnected to the national power grid, or to any other means and source of power connectivity like solar energy.
One would have thought given the critical and acute power deficit in Namibia, the development of green hydrogen energy, would first and foremost, be as a matter of priority, accessing the rural populations to energy. Not in this generation, the next and the one after if ever. For Namibia’s economic development, true to the trajectories of capitalism, is and has never, like many other economies of so-called emerging economies and developing countries, by the world powers that be, are and have never been intended and/or meant to become significant economic players on the global scene.
Be it for the sake of their own development and that of their peoples, but kept at bay and on the sidelines to remain feeder and/or satellite economies to the global economic leaders. A leadership which thrives on nothing but the continued subjugation of the economies of Africa, foremost, and the exploitation of their raw minerals and the consequent continued impoverishment of the people of the so-called Third World.
That is why any Namibian cannot realistically put much premium on the vaunted search for investors, be it for the much-chorused green hydrogen energy, or any other investments. Namibia has been hailed by none other than some of the presumed leading economic powers as an African leader in green hydrogen energy. Not only this but these powers have been trampling upon one another scrambling for a niche of Namibia’s green hydrogen agenda. This is not without self-serving and parochial reasons, first, if not forever.
Not so that Namibia as a matter of priority, benefits from the initiative but because of what Europe, and her citizens, first and foremost, can benefit from it. With Namibia, if she is ever to benefit from the initiative, being only by means of fringe benefits only.
One of the powers that has been showing keen interest in Namibia’s green energy agenda is Germany. “Germany to invest billions in 23 green hydrogen projects,” was yet another headline in the German national news agency, DPA, speaking to Germany investing billions in pioneering hydrogen projects, aiming to boost the production, storage and transport of a potentially transformative source of green energy.
“With the funding of hydrogen projects, we are taking an important step towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy in Europe and beyond,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck was quoted by Germany’s national news agency, the DPA, as committing. With German company already reaping the benefits. Like with German wind-turbine manufacturer Nordex Group said to have won an order for wind turbines capable of producing 98 megawatts of power from Sweden’s Holmen Energi AB, which is a unit of the Stockholm-based Holmen Group. This order, needless to say, being one of many others.
Her motivation cannot be mistaken. To continue as a leader of sorts as she has positioned herself and continues to. If Namibia will be piggybacking on her, which is the best Namibia can expect, only time will tell. If indeed one may be under the illusion that indeed times have changed.
When Africa in terms of development priorities features only an insignificant standing on the development log, which is defined for that matter by the interests of its so-called development partners, including Germany.
One needs not look any further than what has been transpiring in Namibia herself with regard to the green hydrogen pilot where in terms of recruitments, it has been starkly revealed that the people of the South feature nowhere on the top of the league, let alone anywhere in the league. . Presumably because it does not have the necessary qualified human resources.
If there shall ever be a point when the South shall ever have any, Yours Truly Ideologically’s guess is as good anyone’s hailing from the South. Because simply when it comes to development, dating back to capitalist colonial times, what is good for gander has never been good for the goose.
Simply put those at the forefront locally of realising green hydrogen in Namibia cannot be working for and in the interest of ordinary Namibians. Let alone of Namibia at large. Other than continuing to serve the interests of capitalism and their metropoles and their people.
This is but a pointer of things to come regarding green hydrogen when in terms of supplies Namibia can only, if at all, play at best tenth fiddle. Not to mention how long it would take, if ever, Namibia can access in any way green energy.
