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What does a "desert" country live on?

Namibia is vast and very sparsely populated. The country has one of the lowest population densities in the world after Mongolia, with three inhabitants per square kilometer. Much of the land is desert, so neither life nor culture can flourish there.
With an economy that was dominated by South Africa prior to its late independence in 1990, Namibia is now mainly in the hands of white Namibians. Like its larger southern neighbor, it remains highly dependent on the primary sector. The mining sector accounts for 12% of Namibia's GDP, but its influence is much greater, accounting for 50% of Namibia's total exports. As rich in profitability as it is in diversity, it is primarily diamonds from which Namibia derives half its foreign exchange earnings. The country also mines uranium, with the opening in 2016 of the giant Husab mine near the town of Erongo. This mine, already the largest employer in the sector, puts the country in the running to become the world's third largest uranium producer. Zinc is also mined at the Skorpion mine in the south. The towns of Tsumeb and Otavi are known for their rich lead, germanium, silver, lithium and copper deposits. The Uis region contains tin. On the Atlantic coast, salt is extracted from the Walvis Bay salt mines, the largest in the world. It is the fate of all regions to have their soils exploited.

Land redistribution

The agricultural sector accounts for only 6 per cent of gdP, but between 25 and 50 per cent of the population is dependent on this activity, which is at the heart of land reform. In fact, 1% of the population, the white population, controls 44% of the country's arable land. An agrarian law provides for the acquisition of half of this private land by the state and its redistribution for resettlement purposes. The new black farmers will also receive loans to develop their land. Despite criticisms of its implementation, such as the lack of training for new farmers and corruption, this reform appeals to many Namibians who see it as a continuation of the ideology of independence. But these promises are slow to materialize.
The people of the "communal" lands raise different types of livestock according to their culture and habitat. But the livestock sector is mainly export-oriented. Extensive cattle breeding is regulated by strict legislation in order to facilitate the export of meat from these so-called "commercial" areas to Europe. In recent years, with the breeding of game such as ostrich or oryx, game ranching has developed.

Fishy waters, and therefore to be protected

With 1,400 km of coastline, Namibia's waters are abundant in fish and attract many foreign vessels. Representing 3% of GDP in 2019, fishing has grown steadily since independence. Sardines, anchovies, mackerel and hake are now caught in abundance. But competition from foreign boats and overexploitation of resources are harsh for fishermen and the risks for the sustainability of the sector and the economy of coastal cities are very present. While several fishing quotas are already in force, other political and technical solutions are still being prepared in addition.the industrial sector, which has become Namibia's second largest export, is still growing slowly, despite the success of certain activities, such as meat processing and fisheries. Food and beverages occupy half of the sector's workforce with the Namibian Breweries, which export massively to South Africa and the rest of the continent. It has to be said that braai, or barbecue, means that beer is flowing!

Swapo still in charge of the country

Namibia's politics are fairly stable, and for good reason, the ruling party has not changed since the 1990s and the first elections as an independent country. The South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) monopolizes the country's political scene. Attempts by opposition parties to create a common front have always failed. Sam Nujoma was re-elected in 1994 and 1999. SWAPO's dominance is such that two of its ministers will succeed him as head of state. Hifikepunye Pohamba, between 2005 and 2015, will even receive the Mo-Ibrahim award for "good governance" in Africa. Namibia then stands out as a model of African democracy. Hage Geingob took over in 2015. However, in the last election in 2019, the party scored the lowest ever (56%). Some see this as a punishment for not being able to address inequality and the issue of land reform. So, to avoid legislation that investors might perceive as hostile to business, the president will have to strike a delicate balance between pressure from SWAPO cadres, part of the electorate and an unfavourable economic context.

A vulnerable economy despite its strengths

Despite its strengths, the economy remains vulnerable to weather conditions and is dependent on the mining sector and the economic and political health of South Africa. With a growth rate of 5% in 2015, the country experienced a sharp slowdown in 2016 followed by an entry into recession in 2017. In 2019, the poor performance of agriculture and the mining industry are maintaining this recession. However, these sectors recovered overall from 2020. But it is the turn of the Covid-19 pandemic to knock out the Namibian economy and the effects of this recovery. By 2020, gdp fell by 8 percent and the tourism sector was halted in its tracks. How will Namibia get back on track? Slowly. Step by step, the recovery of the economy is supported by the mining sector. According to the treasury department, the big challenge for the authorities is to complete the pending structural reforms to boost growth and then "continue its fiscal adjustment without undermining the recovery.

Namibia looks to the future

Namibia has several assets for a solid resumption of its growth: its modern infrastructure, its tourism potential and political stability ensure a good image to attract and reassure foreign investors. Nevertheless, despite relatively low levels of corruption, the country has shortcomings in terms of its attractiveness (84th out of 138 in the World Economic Forum's ranking) and its business environment (108th out of 189 in the World Bank's Doing Business ranking). However, given the need to diversify the national production base, the authorities intend to attract investment in new sectors such as tourism and the service sector. Indeed, the economy remains heavily dependent on mining, while the limited demand for unskilled labor leads to a concentration of work in subsistence agriculture.

What about tourism?

Like the country, the development of tourism in Namibia is very recent. It has rapidly become a major source of foreign exchange and a powerful lever for employment and the development of local communities. Thousands of tourists visit the national parks such as the Etosha Game Reserve, the Kalahari and Namib deserts, Damaraland and the West Atlantic coast every year. The majority, 70% of tourists, are Germans and South Africans, with an increase in visitors from Italy and France in recent years. As a result of major investments, accommodation facilities have increased considerably, but with a tendency towards quality tourism of the ecotourism type, or even luxury tourism, and towards human-scale travel, rather than so-called "mass" tourism. The fashion for guestfarms and small lodges confirms this trend. And so much the better!

Do resources benefit everyone?

Most of the country's resources have already been developed and the current supply remains dynamic and is adapting to the new demands of the various markets. Despite this optimism, one of the major challenges for this activity, which is mainly controlled by the white population, is to integrate the black population at the highest level so that the resources truly benefit everyone. The promotion of black employees in some of the industry's "mainstream" establishments and the development of inclusively managed community tourism are solutions already in place. These reforms will take time to bear fruit, but Namibians are committed to addressing them together.

The birth of community tourism

Many cultural camps and villages have recently sprung up throughout Namibia. This program consists of the establishment of demarcated protected areas called conservancies and their acceptance as local management units in rural areas. This unit deals with conservation issues and economic development within the conservancy for a more equitable sharing of resources with the communities involved and directly affected. An original initiative and in favor of sustainable tourism development. Those who are looking for an authentic vision of Namibia will be able to spend a few nights in one of these restcamps or campsites immersed in the local life.

Towards an agreement on the first genocide of the 20th century

It was not until May 2021 that Germany asked for forgiveness from the namibian people and officially recognized the herero and nama genocide between 1904 and 1908. Germany promised 1.1 billion euros in aid to help develop the persecuted communities. But today, in 2022, with the agreement still not adopted, the main opposition party, the People's Democratic Movement, led by McHenry Venaani, is demanding that the agreement be put back on the negotiating table, regretting that the people primarily concerned, the Herero and Nama communities, were not sufficiently mobilized in the discussions. Are relations between the two countries on the right track?