WINDHOEK, Nov. 13 — Namibia and Cuba are advancing plans to establish a joint pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Namibia to boost local production of essential medicines and potentially supply markets across Africa, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said Friday.
The proposed plant will be located in Okahandja, with the partnership expected to facilitate technology and skills transfer from Cuba to Namibia.
According to the OPM, an initial memorandum of understanding is under discussion between BioCubaFarma, Cuba’s state-owned pharmaceutical company, and the Namibia Institute of Pathology.
The Namibia Industrial Development Agency is being considered to hold the Namibian state’s stake in the proposed joint venture. Namibian Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare called for the initiative to be fast-tracked, noting that discussions on the project had been ongoing since 2011.
The proposed cooperation will be implemented in three phases, beginning with the supply of selected pharmaceutical products, followed by technology and skills transfer, and eventually the construction of a manufacturing plant, the office said.
The project gained momentum following Ngurare’s visit to Cuba in August, during which he toured BioCubaFarma’s facilities in Havana, the office said, adding that the company has developed vaccines against Hepatitis B and COVID-19, cancer-treatment antibodies, and medicines for diabetes and neurological conditions.
Cuban Ambassador to Namibia Sergio Luis Vigoa de la Uz reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to the initiative and to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, the office said in the statement. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
