Deputy Russian PM discusses expanding cooperation in energy, agriculture, industry with Namibian president

MOSCOW. April 8 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chairman of the Russian-Namibian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation Yuri Trutnev has met with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Russian government's press service said.

They discussed the prospects for joint projects in industry, subsoil use and geological exploration, energy, agriculture, and science and education.

The Russian government together with Rosatom is ready to continue negotiations on expanding the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Trutnev said. "We are ready to consider other cooperation proposals in the field of mineral extraction and processing, as well as in science and education," he said.

"We expect our friends to participate in the process of creating added value in Namibia, which will contribute to economic development and a reduction in poverty in the country. The figures for trade and economic turnover, of course, do not correspond to the level of our political cooperation. We must achieve an equivalence of economic and political cooperation," Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

"The volume of bilateral trade and economic ties has doubled. But we still have things to do," Trutnev said.

The 11th session of the Russian-Namibian Intergovernmental Commission, which will be held in Windhoek, was also discussed.