Africa-Press – Namibia. Namibia will operationalise the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor secretariat on 1 April to strengthen regional trade and improve cross-border transport with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi made the announcement during the 14th Tripartite Council of Ministers meeting held at Swakopmund last Friday.
Nekundi said Namibia has finalised the groundwork required to operationalise the corridor’s permanent secretariat, including a roadmap, hosting agreement and funding instruments developed by a task team comprising officials from the works ministry, Roads Authority, Namibia Revenue Agency and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group.
“The corridor remains a critical instrument for reducing non-tariff barriers, improving logistics efficiency and boosting intra-African trade in line with continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he noted.
To ensure sustainable funding, Nekundi said Namibia will introduce a user pay principle levy of 90 cents per tonne on all cross-border cargo transported along the corridor.
He also highlighted the need for infrastructure investment, digitalisation of customs systems and the development of inland logistics hubs and truck ports along the route.
Zambia’s minister of transport and logistics, Museba Tayali, said the tripartite meeting provided an important platform for addressing logistical bottlenecks, infrastructure gaps and regulatory harmonisation challenges affecting the corridor.
Tayali noted that regular coordination among member states is essential to ensure that previous resolutions, including the establishment of one-stop border posts and the harmonisation of transit fees, are implemented effectively.
DRC deputy prime minister and minister of transport and communications Jean-Pierre Gombo through a representative, applauded the implementation of corridor programmes and the operationalisation of the permanent secretariat, adding it improves coordination and efficiency.
The minister also highlighted the importance of the corridor in providing access for land-locked countries such as Zambia and the DRC, particularly the Katanga region to the Port of Walvis Bay.
Gombe, however, noted that several challenges are still affecting the corridor’s competitiveness, including infrastructure gaps, administrative barriers, security concerns and the lack of harmonised transport policies.
The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor agreement was signed in Livingstone, Zambia, in 2010 to facilitate the movement of goods and people between the three countries and promote socio-economic development along the corridor.
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