On 17 December 2025, together with the Africa Network of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of Namibia in Helsinki, and Namibia’s new Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Gebhard Benjamin Kandanga, we discussed what kind of a new story about Namibia we could tell to Finland.

One important theme that emerged was Namibia’s delicious food culture, especially meat and meat products. It remains to be seen whether we might already next year find a selection of excellent biltong dried meat products on Finnish grocery shelves. Another popular dish in Namibia and across Africa, mopane worms, may for now remain a delicacy for only a few adventurous tasters in Finland.

The strong cooperation between Namibia and Finland stretches from the late 19th century to the present day. This provides a solid foundation for building a new narrative about modern Namibia, which is, among other things, a country of mouth-watering flavors and remarkable travel experiences. Namibia is also a relatively easy entry point to the African continent for Finnish companies. Finnpartnership is currently supporting 13 projects by Finnish companies in Namibia.

Text: Birgit Nevala

Photo: Embassy of Namibia