By: Erastus Andreas
Namibia has been signing and announcing various commercial and diplomatic agreements from South Africa to China. Conferences are frequently happening, however, the unemployed are yet to see job opportunities.
Most of the agreements and dialogues are happening in the name of economic cooperation, but the bigger question is whether those agreements are translating into opportunities that businesses and ordinary Namibians can actually see.
The issue has been raised by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) Shadow Minister of International Relations and Trade, Rodney Omes Hatani Cloete, who argues that various Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) should not be treated as an economic achievement simply because they have been signed.
In an opinion article published on 21 August 2026, Cloete said the real value of an agreement should be measured through outcomes such as investment, increased trade, employment, skills development and technology transfer.
According to Cloete, an MOU normally expresses an intention to cooperate and does not necessarily create legally binding obligations.
He argues that the public should therefore be able to see what happens after the signing ceremony.
His concerns come at a time when Namibia is placing greater emphasis on economic diplomacy and using international partnerships to expand trade and investment.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said international partnerships should produce tangible and measurable benefits, including increased investment, expanded trade, skills development, technology transfer and sustainable employment.
The issue has also been recognised in Namibia’s dealings with South Africa.
The two countries’ July 2026 Bi-National Commission communiqué acknowledged the need to accelerate the implementation of outstanding decisions and agreements, while calling for measurable programmes and projects that can deliver tangible economic and developmental benefits.
For businesses, the value of such agreements ultimately depends on whether they open real markets, attract investment or create opportunities to supply goods and services.
Cloete is also calling for greater transparency around agreements, including information on who is responsible for implementation, the timelines involved and the results achieved.
The debate therefore goes beyond the number of MOUs signed. It is about whether international cooperation is reaching the factory floor, the business community and the job market.
For Namibia, the challenge now is to turn agreements on paper into investment, trade, skills and employment that can be measured.
