Genocide activist Turk Hansen believes Germany’s incoming government will make no efforts to finalise negotiations between Germany and Namibia on the Nama-Herero genocide.
Hansen, who is based in Germany, told Desert Radio on Tuesday that the new government in Germany may even cut development aid in coming years.
On Sunday, German citizens voted in an election which saw Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union win the most votes, with CDU leader Friedrich Merz signalling he hopes to form a government quickly. A far-right party, Alternative for Germany, is in second place after securing its highest-ever showing.
The election had been scheduled to take place on 28 September 2025, but was brought forward due to the collapse of the governing coalition in November 2024.
According to Hansen, there could be pressure from civil society and social democrats to recognise the genocide, but cited no confidence in the government to do so.
“My concern is that they will not make any real effort in concluding this whole thing,” he said.
Hansen stated that there is a connection between Germany and Namibia with regard to the genocide, but also emphasised the modern politics that bind Namibia and Germany – especially with regard to green hydrogen.
He made reference to the German Greens party’s candidate for chancellor, Robert Habeck, who has visited Namibia to negotiate about the country’s potential as a global provider of green hydrogen.
“But I think that those aspects of climate change will be of less importance to the new government. And I think this is a thing of real concern […] Namibia has put a lot of effort into this industrial development,” Hansen said.
Hansen stated that the focus of the new government will be on national industry politics and investments within the European Union.
He highlighted that there might be space for international aspects, but added that Germany’s relationships to Africa as a whole will be weaker than in the former government.
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