Namibia expands international sports partnerships with Botswana, India

Namibia has strengthened its international sporting cooperation after signing strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Botswana and India on the sidelines of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, opening new opportunities for athlete development, coaching education and high-performance training.

The agreements, signed on Monday, 2 November 2026, form part of the Namibia National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association’s (NNOC-CGA) broader strategy to establish international partnerships that will strengthen the country’s sporting structures and improve its competitiveness at major international competitions.

The partnerships are aimed at creating practical opportunities for Namibian athletes, coaches and national sporting federations to benefit from international expertise, training facilities, technical knowledge and exchange programmes.

Strengthening regional ties with Botswana

The agreement with Botswana was signed at the Noom Hotel Dakar Sea Plaza by NNOC-CGA president Ndeulipula Hamutumwa and Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) president Tshepo Sitale.

The signing ceremony was attended by NNOC-CGA vice-president Gaby Ahrens, chief executive officer Anri Parker, Botswana vice-president and Chef de Mission Tebo Segaise, Botswana Sport Commission acting Games Manager Shadrack Kapeko, and the respective secretaries-general.

The partnership establishes a framework for cooperation in athlete development, technical expertise, coaching education, training camps, knowledge sharing and institutional capacity building.

Particular attention will be given to athletics, especially sprinting and relay events, as well as lawn bowls, where both countries have demonstrated competitive strengths.

Botswana’s achievements in the 200m, 400m and relay events are expected to provide opportunities for Namibian athletes and coaches to access specialised training environments, technical expertise and high-performance programmes.

Namibia, meanwhile, will share its experience and competitive knowledge in lawn bowls through joint training initiatives and technical exchanges.

Hamutumwa said partnerships with neighbouring countries were important in strengthening sporting performance and creating sustainable development opportunities.

“Our neighbouring countries possess valuable expertise, experience and sporting talent. Through this partnership, we are creating opportunities to learn from one another, strengthen our existing sporting disciplines and develop the next generation of athletes and coaches,” he said.

Parker said Botswana was a natural partner because of its geographical proximity and the opportunity to share facilities, coaching resources and training environments at more accessible costs.

She added that the cooperation would extend beyond elite athletes to include coaches, technical officials, administrators and sporting institutions.

India partnership targets multiple sporting codes

The second agreement, signed at the NOC Services Building in the Youth Olympic Village in Dakar, brings together the NNOC-CGA and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Hamutumwa and IOA president P.T. Usha signed the agreement, which was witnessed by Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Dino Balotti, Namibia’s Ambassador to Senegal Richard Stanley Tsandib, Parker and Chef de Mission Maike Betts.

The Indian delegation included India’s Ambassador to Senegal Dinkar Asthana, Government of India Joint Secretary for Sports Development Kunal, IOA president’s executive assistant Captain Ajay Narang and Youth Olympic Games Chef de Mission Om Prakash Singh Karhana.

The partnership seeks to use India’s experience and international achievements across several sporting disciplines to support Namibia’s athlete development and high-performance programmes.

Priority areas include cricket, hockey, badminton, shooting, wrestling, boxing, athletics and archery.

Cooperation in cricket and hockey will focus on specialist coaching, youth development, technical exchanges and access to established training academies. In badminton, the emphasis will be on junior athlete development, coaching education and international exposure.

Boxing and wrestling will benefit from high-performance training camps, technical coaching and competition preparation, while athletics cooperation will explore specialist training in throwing events, strength and conditioning and sports science.

The agreement also provides opportunities for advanced technical coaching in archery and specialist training and athlete development in shooting.

A key priority is strengthening Namibia’s coaching capacity through structured training camps in India, reciprocal coaching exchanges, technical workshops and access to high-performance facilities.

Cricket-specific cooperation will be pursued in collaboration with the relevant cricket authorities.

Hamutumwa said the partnership was intended to create opportunities for Namibian athletes that would otherwise be difficult to access.

He said India’s experience in various sporting disciplines could help strengthen national sporting structures and create sustainable pathways for athletes to compete successfully at international level.

Parker emphasised that the NNOC-CGA was pursuing partnerships based on specific sporting needs and opportunities rather than simply signing agreements.

“We do not want agreements that simply remain on paper. We want structured training camps, coaching exchanges, technical assistance, competitive exposure and measurable improvements in athlete performance,” she said.

Broader strategy towards Olympic excellence

The agreements with Botswana and India form part of the NNOC-CGA’s expanding international cooperation programme, which also includes engagements with China, the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei.

Through these partnerships, the committee aims to connect Namibian national federations with countries that have established expertise in specific sporting disciplines.

The initiative is expected to complement existing support through Olympic Solidarity and other sports development programmes, while providing access to international coaching systems, facilities and competitive environments.

The partnerships also form part of Namibia’s preparations for future international competitions, particularly the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Beyond athlete development, the NNOC-CGA intends to use the agreements to strengthen coaching capacity, improve sports administration and build institutional knowledge that can benefit Namibian sport over the long term. Both agreements reaffirm Namibia’s commitment to international sporting cooperation, regional solidarity and the development of sustainable pathways towards improved performance on the global sporting stage.

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