09 Feb 2022

 Botswana Dry Port in Namibia is strategically positioned as an alternative gateway to the Southern Africa region, says Ministry of Transport and Communication permanent secretary, Mr Jimmy Opelo.

Speaking at a Botswana Dry Port and Trans Kalahari Corridor information sharing session in Gaborone February 9, he said the facility,  a 36 233 square meters piece of land leased from the Namibian government, was meant to provide an alternative route for the country’s imports and exports to facilitate efficiency in trade.

Directly connected to the Port of Walvis Bay, it also provided an alternative route for goods from Namibia to the rest of Southern Africa and the continent as a whole, Mr Opelo said.

Stating that Botswana acquired the land in 2019,  he said government was committed to ensuring that the port achieved the purpose for which it was intended.

He expressed government’s gratitude to the Namibian government for opening up access to the region and the rest of the world through the port.

Botswana high commissioner to Namibia, Dr Comma Serema said the session brought together industry stakeholders to disseminate information on best usage of Trans Kalahari Corridor and discuss key issues that affected operations.

The corridor, which provided access for landlocked countries, was critical and central to Southern Africa’s development, he said.

Mr Serema therefore called upon Batswana to take advantage of opportunities that came with the corridor.

About the session, he said its primary goal was to see the region improving its competitive advantage in the global market.

 He said the session would contribute to enhanced and increased regional trade.

 Acting Namibian high commissioner Ms Jolanda Mbuende stated that the Trans Kalahari Corridor was critical for facilitation of free trade between Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

On Walvis Bay, she said the port was strategically located for access to markets in the three countries.

Saying lack of access routes and rail were some of the main impediments to African trade, Trans Kalahari Corridor secretariat executive director Mr Leslie Mpofu said the corridor facilitated trade among fellow African countries.

Organised by Walvis Bay Corridor Group, the one-day session was held under the theme, Namibia: The preferred logistic hub for the Botswana market.BOPA