Windhoek/Moscow (bw) - Russia is ready to build small nuclear power plants in Namibia, Russia’s prime minister Mikhail Fradkov, said last Saturday after talks with President Pohamba and Prime Minister Angula. Fradkov visited Angola, Namibia and South Africa, returning to Moscow on Monday. Fradkov, who only gave an interview to the 23 Russian journalists who travelled with him, said Russia was considering the construction of mini-plants and floating nuclear power plants in Namibia that would use locally produced uranium.
“These are issues still to be discussed,” he said. Fradkov’s press secretary refused Namibian journalists an opportunity for questions in English, saying this was not included in the official programme drawn up by the Namibian protocol. Russian firms Renova, Vneshtorgbank (VTB) belonging to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg and Tekhsnabexport have agreed to form a joint venture to mine uranium in Namibia. Vekselberg is also an advisor to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
Fradkov said establishing a financial engineering company with VTB Bank and Capricorn Investment Holding, Namibia’s financial industrial group, could be a financial basis for economic cooperation. In July 2006, VTB and the holding company of Bank Windhoek, Capricorn Investment Holding set up a joint venture in Namibia. Under the contract, VTB’s share in the authorized capital of VTB Capital (Namibia) (PTY) Ltd. will be 50% plus 2 shares. The company is primarily designed to attract Russian businesses and investment to the Namibian market and African countries south of the Sahara Desert to develop jointly the most lucrative projects in the region, including securing international financing for projects. Russia, which is short of uranium, aims to build 42 nuclear power stations at home and 60 in other countries, as governments around the world seek alternative energy sources, according to Russian media. China and Russia are competing with each other courting African countries, which are rich in natural resources to secure supplies.

Russian Prime Minister M. Fradkov only spoke to Russian reporters and refused to speak to Namibian media.