Windhoek: Namibia's Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, has urged the country to invest in and strengthen collaboration on space technologies with neighboring Angola. Theofelus highlighted Angola's advancements in satellite communication as a valuable opportunity for Namibia to enhance its space technology capabilities.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Theofelus spoke during a visit to the Telecom Namibia Earth Station near Windhoek, marking the conclusion of World Space Week. She noted Angola's progress in the space sector, exemplified by the launch of its communication satellites, ANGOSAT-1 and ANGOSAT-2. This progress presents valuable lessons and partnership opportunities for Namibia's own aspirations in space technology.

Theofelus and her Angolan counterpart, Mario Augusto da Silva, demonstrated the potential for collaboration by conducting a live satellite video call during World Space Week. Theofelus emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Angola and Namibia, recognizing Angola's achievements in the space domain.

The minister underscored that while Namibia continues to invest in terrestrial connectivity, satellite communication is pivotal for future national development and sovereignty. She stressed that global governments are leveraging satellites for research, border control, and agriculture, and Namibia aims to join forces with Angola to build capacity in this sector.

Theofelus highlighted that satellite communication could help bridge Namibia's urban-rural digital divide by providing cost-effective connectivity to remote areas. She pointed out the challenges of connecting every household through terrestrial cables, given Namibia's vast and sparsely populated landscape, and noted that space technology offers a quicker and more affordable solution.

Telecom Namibia CEO Stanley Shanapinda supported the minister's views, stating that investing in satellite technology would diversify service offerings and reduce costs for rural connectivity. He emphasized the potential benefits of regional collaboration with Angola to provide affordable services to rural customers, strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries.