Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, has called for stronger economic ties and strategic investment between Namibia and Malaysia, using a business forum in Kuala Lumpur to pitch her country as the gateway to Southern Africa.
Ashipala-Musavyi made the call during the Namibia-Malaysia Business Forum held in Kuala Lumpur on April 20, 2026, where she addressed government officials, business leaders and investors.
She pointed to the long-standing relationship between the two nations, rooted in shared history and cooperation dating back to Namibia’s independence, and invited Malaysian companies to partner in key sectors including green energy, manufacturing, agro-processing and mineral beneficiation. 
The minister told the gathering that Namibia is working to move away from a resource-based economy towards a value-added industrial hub. She also drew attention to Namibia’s strategic position as an entry point into a Southern African market of over 380 million people, backed by political stability, investor-friendly policies and expanding infrastructure, including the Port of Walvis Bay.
“Africa is no longer the continent of tomorrow; it is the continent of now,” she said, urging Malaysian investors to seize early opportunities in Namibia’s evolving economy.
The following day, on April 21, Ashipala-Musavyi paid a courtesy call on Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Johari bin Abdul Ghani, in Kuala Lumpur. The two ministers exchanged views on trade and investment and explored ways to deepen collaboration between their countries.
On April 20, she also met Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. That meeting focused on environmental sustainability and natural resource management, with both sides sharing experiences in promoting sustainable development.
Ashipala-Musavyi also held talks with her Malaysian counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, to discuss matters of mutual interest and explore new avenues for trade and investment. The two ministers also sought to strengthen bilateral relations rooted in ties established during Namibia’s liberation struggle.
The Namibian minister was in Malaysia for a two-day working visit at the invitation of Minister Mohamad Hasan.
