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Medvedev takes his Africa tour to Namibia

WINDHOEK - Russian President Dimitry Medvedev continued his four-country tour of Africa yesterday in Namibia.

WINDHOEK - Russian President Dimitry Medvedev continued his four-country tour of Africa yesterday in Namibia.

Medvedev arrived in the Namibian capital Windhoek from Nigeria, where the two countries signed agreements giving Russia access to a part of Nigeria's gas deposits in return for investment in infrastructure, including a proposed gas pipeline to Europe.

In Namibia the Russian leader is scheduled to hold talks with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, visit a cemetery where the heroes of Namibia's independence struggle are buried and pay a courtesy call on the father of the country's struggle, former president Sam Nujoma.

Russia supported Namibia's and other leftist African liberation movements during the Cold War but has since lost it's clout on the continent to China, with Beijing leading a new scramble for oil and minerals.

Two years ago Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's nuclear energy authority Rosaton proposed building a floating nuclear station off Namibia, which suffers chronic energy shortages.

It was reported that the national petroleum company, Namcor, was preparing to sign a deal with Gazprombank, majority-owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom. The contents of the deal has yet to be divulged.

SWA Uranium Mines, a majority Russian-owned company, has two licences to prospect for uranium in Namibia. Russia also has interests in Namibia's oil and gas exploration sector. - Sapa-DPA

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