Windhoek, Sept. 27 — A Namibia Friendship group has been formed in the Finnish parliament. The group’s goal is to strengthen collaboration between the Finnish and Namibian legislatures, as well as to promote economic, cultural, and other ties between the two countries.
Namibia and Finland have a long history together. Finns have been present in Namibia for over 150 years, and Finland has played an important role in Namibia’s development and the independence process. Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of the Republic of Finland, is an honorary citizen of Namibia.
The Friendship Group will be chaired by Hon. Ville Valkonen, a Member of Parliament with a personal connection to Namibia. “My wife is Namibian, and I spent my childhood there. Namibia is a prosperous and peaceful African country. It is the only Sub-Saharan African country with an embassy in Helsinki “Valkonen explains.
Hon. Valkonen believes that Europe should work more closely with the Global South to support democratic and constitutional development in these countries. This is especially important given the current global political climate. Furthermore, Africa has enormous investment and trade potential, as well as many critical strategic natural resources.
“Finland has a lot to offer Namibia, such as governance development and education cooperation, and Namibia has a lot to offer Finland as a stable gateway to Southern Africa,” MP Valkonen concludes.
