Namibian-German relations are multifaceted and close, not least with regard to investment in green hydrogen production, tourism and United Nations reform. Close civil society relations also exist within the context of town twinning partnerships, for example.

Dealing with the genocide inflicted on the Herero and Nama peoples in the war from 1904 to 1908 during colonial rule in the former colony German South West Africa is a major priority. Close cooperation takes place here not least with regard to the repatriation of cultural property, cultural preservation, scientific and historical research, and the promotion of bilateral cultural projects. In May 2021, a Joint Declaration on addressing Germany’s colonial crimes was initialled, but as yet it has not been signed.

Development cooperation also reflects this special relationship. During intergovernmental negotiations in June 2023, some 342 million euro were pledged in the form of grants and low-interest loans. The German Olympic Sports Confederation supports social projects in Namibia, above all in the area of athletics, with the assistance of the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Cultural and academic relations are broad-based. The Goethe-Institut, the bilingual German-Namibian School DHPS Windhoek, nine partner schools and the Deutsche Welle are involved in considerable language and programme work. German universities collaborate with the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Along with European partners and UNAM, the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (MPIK) in Heidelberg operates the High-Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) telescope in the Khomas Highland in central Namibia.