President Jacob Zuma has called for the prioritisation of cross-border infrastructure between Namibia and South Africa to advance trade between the two States, alluding to the possible linkage of existing or planned transport corridors in each country.

“In our collective desire to further enhance close economic cooperation between our two countries, we need to prioritise cross-border infrastructure to facilitate the easy flow of goods and services.

“It is, therefore, our belief that the establishment of a free-trade area in the [sub-Saharan African region] will greatly enhance our ability to trade with one another and ensure the strengthening of the region as a whole,” he said in an address to the Namibian Parliament on Thursday.

Zuma lauded the advance of various infrastructure development projects in Nambia, including the $300-million expansion of the Walvis Bay port and the construction of a rail line in the Caprivi region, saying that linking these projects to the Durban port could produce new export and trade corridors.

“We are also happy to hear that the Walvis Bay Corridor Group has recently announced that construction would soon begin on a road that will shorten the travel distance through the Caprivi region from 1 200 km to 800 km. Such initiatives will go a long way in enhancing trade between countries in the region,” he commented.

Zuma’s comments followed the inaugural session of the South Africa–Namibia Binational Commission (BNC), which converted the Heads of State Economic Bilateral Forum (HOSEB) into a fully-fledged commission structure.

According to Zuma, the BNC would provide political and strategic leadership and guidance to the bilateral cooperation and partnership between the two States.

“What we want to achieve through this BNC is to lay a firm foundation for the optimal leveraging of the trade agreements and memoranda of understanding signed under the HOSEB,” he said.

Trade between South Africa and Namibia occurred largely in the energy, construction, mining, retail, food and beverage, environmental, water, communications, education, science and technology, and tourism sectors.

“There is a need for our two countries to continue to forge a common position on regional, continental and international issues for the mutual benefit of our two countries and the continent at large,” Zuma concluded.