India funds IT Centre of Excellence

The agreement to facilitate this project was signed by President Mukherjee and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, at State House prior to the NUST visit. The Centre, which will initially host two classrooms that can accommodate 25 students each, will equip Namibians with much-needed advanced technology skills.

When he made the announcement to a fully packed auditorium on the NUST, and campus, President Mukherjee said: “So far, over a thousand Namibian citizens have been trained in India under our Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme. Indian experts, in government and the private sector, have been deployed to assist the Government of Namibia in various policy formulations.”

He further highlighted the dramatic revolution that has taken place in his country in the fields of medicine, bio-technology and information technology.

The Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, said there are many lessons to be learnt from India, a country with top scientific and technological capacity to undertake basic research up to applied research that sets trends in space technology and planetary exploration and advanced medicinal applications.

Addressing the President, NUST Vice-Chancellor, Tjama Tjivikua, said: “Your Excellency, your visit marks the strengthening of the longstanding bond between our nations, thus marking the determination to move from engagement for political liberation to promoting a joint development agenda. NUST is, therefore, privileged, grateful and proud that it was chosen to host you.”

This is the second visit by an Indian Head of State to Namibia after President Shankar Dayel Sharma first visited the country in 1995.