When Namibia and Cuba announced that they are exploring the establishment of a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Namibia, the news was more than a routine bilateral development. It was a powerful reminder that some friendships in international relations are not transactional but historic, principled and enduring. From the battlefields of southern Angola to today’s boardrooms and policy tables, the relationship between Namibia and Cuba has been forged in solidarity, sacrifice and shared purpose. This latest initiative is not merely about producing medicines; it is about continuing a legacy of cooperation that has helped shape Namibia’s very existence.
Namibians do not need to be reminded of Cuba’s role during the struggle for independence. Cuban forces stood shoulder to shoulder with liberation movements in southern Africa at a time when apartheid aggression threatened the region’s future. The decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale, where Cuban troops fought alongside Angolan and Namibian freedom fighters, shifted the balance of power and accelerated the path toward Namibia’s independence. It is therefore fitting that decades later, the relationship between the two nations continues to evolve, this time not in war, but in development, innovation and the shared quest for human wellbeing.
The proposal to establish a pharmaceutical plant in Namibia with Cuban cooperation represents a forward-looking extension of that historic bond. It signals a partnership rooted not in nostalgia, but in mutual respect and practical solutions to contemporary challenges. Namibia’s heavy reliance on imported medicines has long been a vulnerability in our health system. Supply disruptions, high costs and external dependency have exposed the fragility of medicine procurement in times of global crises, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local pharmaceutical production is therefore not a luxury; it is a strategic necessity.
Cuba brings to the table decades of expertise in pharmaceutical and biotechnological innovation. Despite facing its own economic constraints, Cuba has built a globally respected biomedical sector, developing vaccines, cancer treatments and essential medicines that serve both its population and international partners. Few countries in the Global South can match Cuba’s depth of experience in public-orientated pharmaceutical production. For Namibia, partnering with such a nation is not only logical but also visionary.
This initiative also fits squarely within Namibia’s national development aspirations. The government has already indicated plans to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at Okahandja under a public-private partnership model, with calls for investors and technical partners underway. Cuban participation would add technical credibility, knowledge transfer and training opportunities for Namibian scientists, pharmacists and engineers. Beyond infrastructure, this project promises skills development, technology sharing and long-term capacity building, the true markers of sustainable development.
Critics may ask whether Namibia can afford such an ambitious undertaking. The better question is whether Namibia can afford not to. Continued dependence on imported medicines drains foreign currency reserves, exposes the country to external shocks and limits healthcare sovereignty. Local production, even if phased and targeted at essential generic medicines in the initial stages, would strengthen national resilience. Moreover, a functioning pharmaceutical plant has the potential to supply regional markets, placing Namibia on the map as a health-manufacturing hub in Southern Africa.
It is also important to recognise the symbolism of this cooperation. In an era where international partnerships are often dominated by powerful economic interests and conditionalities, Namibia’s collaboration with Cuba stands out as a relationship grounded in shared history and mutual respect. It is South-South cooperation in its most meaningful form: two nations of the Global South leveraging solidarity, experience and shared values to address development challenges.
The health sector is a natural space for Namibia–Cuba cooperation. Cuban medical professionals have served in Namibia for years, contributing to healthcare delivery and training. Many Namibian students have studied medicine in Cuba, returning home as skilled professionals. The pharmaceutical initiative therefore builds on an already established foundation of medical collaboration. It completes the chain, from training doctors to delivering healthcare to producing the medicines that make treatment possible.
There is also a moral dimension to this development. Access to affordable medicine is not merely an economic question; it is a fundamental human right. Too many Namibians still struggle with limited access to essential drugs, particularly in rural areas. A domestic pharmaceutical industry, guided by public interest rather than pure profit, has the potential to transform healthcare equity in our country. Cuba’s own model of people-centred health innovation provides valuable lessons in ensuring that medicine production serves public need first.
Of course, success will depend on transparency, sound planning and sustained political will. Feasibility studies, regulatory alignment, financing structures and market strategies must be carefully designed. The government must ensure that the project does not become another unfulfilled promise but a concrete investment with measurable outcomes. Parliamentary oversight, stakeholder engagement and public accountability will be essential as this initiative progresses from concept to reality.
Nevertheless, the announcement itself deserves praise. It reflects leadership that understands both Namibia’s historical alliances and future needs. It demonstrates that our foreign relations are not ceremonial but purposeful. It shows that the liberation-era friendship between Namibia and Cuba is alive, relevant and evolving, no longer defined by conflict but by cooperation for human development.
In many ways, this pharmaceutical partnership is a poetic continuation of history. Where Cuban doctors once healed wounds of war and Cuban soldiers once defended liberation aspirations, Cuban scientists and pharmaceutical experts may soon help produce medicines that save Namibian lives. That is a legacy worth honouring and investing in.
The Windhoek Observer therefore welcomes and applauds this initiative. It is bold, strategic and historically grounded. It is a reminder that solidarity, when nurtured over time, can mature into shared prosperity. From the trenches of liberation to the laboratories of modern science, Namibia and Cuba continue to walk together. And in that partnership lies not only memory but also promise.
