NAMIBIA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO BOOSTING REGIONAL TRADE

Namibia’s high commissioner to Zambia, Haindongo Siyave, has reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to strengthening regional trade and economic integration through enhanced transport and logistics collaboration. He was speaking during the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) Copperbelt Information Session held in Kitwe, Zambia, under the theme “Beyond Borders”.

Addressing government officials, business leaders, mining sector representatives and members of the media, Siyave emphasised the importance of the Walvis Bay-NdolaLubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC) in facilitating seamless cross-border trade within the SADC region.

“This platform highlights the critical role that the port of Walvis Bay and the WBNLDC play in supporting Zambia’s efforts to ensure the smooth movement of people and goods in the region,” said Siyave.

The session aimed to promote interaction between public and private sector stakeholders, identify business opportunities between Namibia and Zambia, as well as showcase Namibia as a strategic trade route for the region. It also served to gather feedback from Zambian industry players to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Siyave described the Copperbelt Province as the economic backbone of Zambia and the wider region, supplying key minerals such as copper and cobalt to international markets. “To unlock this economic potential, efficient and reliable trade routes are essential, and Namibia provides just that,” he stated.

Siyave noted that Namibia offers a strategic location with a well-developed transport and logistics network, including the port of Walvis Bay, which serves as a key link between Southern Africa and global markets, especially Europe and the Americas. He emphasised that the Walvis Bay Corridors were not developed to compete with other regional ports, but to complement the existing infrastructure.

Trade volumes between Namibia and Zambia have increased significantly, with a 48% rise recorded by the end of 2024. Zambia currently exports a range of commodities via the port of Walvis Bay, including copper, cobalt, manganese and agricultural products such as honey and molasses. Namibia, in turn, exports seafood and facilitates the transit of mining equipment to Zambia.

The high commissioner also highlighted Namibia’s investment in road infrastructure and the importance of the Zambian dry port at Walvis Bay, which provides Zambia with direct access to international shipping routes.

Siyave praised the Walvis Bay Corridor Group for its role in advancing trade facilitation, logistics services and business development across the region. He urged stakeholders in logistics, mining, transport and manufacturing to seize the opportunities presented by the corridor. “We must maximise collaboration across the supply chain to ensure efficient trade flow, reduce the cost of doing business and stimulate economic growth,” he added. Siyave reiterated Namibia’s support for Zambia and the broader SADC region in achieving the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Meanwhile, Zambia’s Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo said fertiliser imported into Zambia through the port of Walvis Bay during the 2024/2025 farming season has increased fourfold. Projections indicate that even higher import volumes are expected for the 2025/2026 farming season. “Zambia is fortunate to have four major ports through which its imports and exports are traded, including the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, the port of Durban in South Africa and the port of Beira in Mozambique. However, the port of Walvis Bay in Namibia has emerged as the most preferred trade route in the recent past,” said Matambo.

Matambo has reaffirmed that Zambia’s diversification agenda from copper to agriculture and other sectors of the economy is progressing well. “The diversification agenda of our country from copper to agriculture, including other sectors of the economy, is on course, and benefits will soon be visible for all to see,” he stated.

The minister commended the Walvis Bay Corridor Group for the initiative to visit and engage with Zambia’s provincial leadership under the New Dawn Government. He further acknowledged the group’s active role in facilitating and promoting trade in Zambia and the region as a whole.

Maggie Forecelledo Paz