Namibia gives country’s highest honor to PM Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister was awarded Namibia’s highest award, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis. The Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis is Namibia’s highest civilian award. The award was established in 1995, soon after Namibia’s independence in 1990, to recognize distinguished service and leadership. It is named after Welwitschia Mirabilis, a unique and ancient desert plant found in Namibia. This is Prime Minister Modi’s 27th award and the fourth of this visit.

Prime Minister Modi held talks with Namibian President Netumbo Ndendi-Ndaitwah on Wednesday and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas such as digital technology, defense, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and critical minerals. During the delegation-level talks, the two leaders took a comprehensive review of India-Namibia relations. In a post on social media after the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said that cooperation in areas such as digital technology, defense, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and critical minerals figured prominently in our discussions. He said that we also discussed ways to strengthen relations in the field of trade, energy and petrochemicals. Expressed gratitude for Namibia’s assistance in ‘Project Cheetah’.

After talks at the State House, the two sides signed four agreements, including cooperation in the field of health and medicine, establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Center in Namibia, CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) Framework and Global Biofuel Alliance Framework. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Namibia and the third visit of a Prime Minister from India. Modi, who arrived here from Brazil in the last leg of his five-nation visit, also paid tribute to Namibia’s founder Sam Nujoma at the national monument ‘Heroes Acre’. Nujoma gave independence to Namibia in 1990 and was its President for 15 years. Modi, who came here at the invitation of President Nandi-Ndaitw, described Namibia as an “important and trusted partner” in Africa. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed at the State House and was given a ‘Guard of Honor’.