Africa-Press – Namibia. THE African Forum for Utility Regulators conference in Swakopmund has highlighted Namibia’s growing strategic importance in regional energy and logistics, with U.S. Ambassador John Giordano emphasising the role of the Port of Walvis Bay as a key hub in a developing Southern African energy corridor.
Speaking during the 22nd Annual Conference and General Assembly of AFUR, held from 22 to 27 March, Giordano joined public and private sector leaders in discussions on the systems required to drive economic growth and strengthen regional energy security.
The forum has drawn regulators from across the continent, with AFUR comprising 52 regulatory institutions from 31 countries and recording high attendance at this year’s gathering.
Giordano said global competitiveness increasingly depends on the ability of countries and regions to develop integrated systems at scale, rather than on the availability of resources alone.
“The real competition isn’t between resources, fuels, minerals, or talent — it’s between countries and regions that can move decisively to develop integrated systems at scale and those that cannot,” he said.
He pointed to Walvis Bay as a rapidly emerging terminus of a Southern African energy and logistics corridor, noting that the port is becoming a critical link between the region’s energy and mineral resources and global markets.
According to Giordano, the port’s modern infrastructure, operational efficiency, and expanding capacity are enabling the movement of key commodities, equipment, and fuels across the region, while supporting future oil and gas development.
He added that increasing transit volumes through Walvis Bay are helping to strengthen supply chains and regional connectivity, which are essential for both energy security and economic growth in Namibia and neighbouring countries.
“In the end, infrastructure determines competitiveness,” Giordano said.
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