6 namibiaspecial WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 CHINA DAILY Major investment in logistics drives success Namibia steps closer to being international hub

With an area of nearly 825,000 square kilometers, Namibia faces a challenge as it looks to establish itself as an international logistics hub through the development of an extensive transportation network. The country is working very hard to attract substantial foreign direct investment in its road, rail, air and sea transport infrastructure and services, with the government eager for investors to transfer their skills and knowledge to the Namib- ians. Th e public works will go a long way to realizing Namibia’s goal of becoming a major logistics hub for the Southern African Development Community. “We need to build roads and con- struct efficient railways between Namibia and Botswana, Zambia There are a lot of NAMCOR entered the and Angola,” said President Hifi ke- opportunities to invest logistics, marketing punye Pohamba. “Work has already in the transportation and and distribution sectors PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY started on this network and will ‘‘ ‘‘ Namibia’s government has given the green light to investment in transport infrastructure, such as railways. serve as an attraction to investors to construction sectors. We of the business through the region.” want to be a hub for the participation in of logistics by working with the rel- strongly on price, which ultimately development, we must not focus A key goal of NDP4, the nation’s southern region.” fuel tenders.” evant government agencies, minis- drives down the costs of infra- only on the physical construction development blueprint, is that by tries and government-owned cor- structure projects — a plus for the part, we need to start from the ERKKI NGHIMTINA OBETH MBUI KANDJOZE 2017, “the volume of cargo han- MINISTER OF WORKS AND TRANSPORT MANAGING DIRECTOR, NAMCOR porations as well as private-sector economy. design. We have a tendency in our dling and rail-transported cargo companies. As RCC CEO Engelhard Haiham- country of designing infrastructure will double that of 2012, and the One additional aim of the group bo explained: “Road infrastructure based on the past designs. There Port of Walvis Bay will become the is to promote the benefi ts of using can be viewed as the conveyor-belt of is an urgent need to look at new preferred African west coast port ensure the fl ow of cross-border trade oped corridors to other countries the Port of Walvis Bay to traders economic development. We produce way of designing. We need to be and logistics corridor for southern is as effi cient as possible. so we can trade freely between our wanting to sell their goods within and maintain that belt. innovative and move on in step and central African logistics opera- “Aggressive investment will char- countries and also for the transporta- the Southern African Development “When the country is embark- with developments as they happen tions.” acterize eff orts to develop our inter- tion of goods from the Port of Walvis Community region. To achieve this, ing on any economic development worldwide. The comprehensive document nal human resources capacity in Bay.” the group said they must convince program, we play the role of being a “Countries such as China, with its stated: “Rapid development in the order to manage all the components He added: “If you construct a road traders that the Port of Walvis Bay valuable choice in terms of creating strong, innovative approach towards realm of logistics is made possible of the regional logistics hub and today, tomorrow a lot of develop- is more competitive in terms of cost that conveyor belt.” things and continuous renewal of only when both the public and the attract foreign skills.” ment will come along. When there and effi ciency than the competing Having worked with Chinese com- projects, should be given space dur- private sector share a common goal Tasked with implementing this are roads, people will come, estab- ports of Durban, in South Africa, panies for many years, Haihambo ing the design stage of the infrastruc- and framework for implementa- wide-ranging strategy and provid- lish themselves and make the mar- and Luanda, in Angola. noted some of China’s competitive ture projects.” tion. ing Namibia with a safe and reliable ket. Th ere are a lot of opportunities advantages. One fi rm heavily reliant on road “There are various build- transport system is the Ministry of to invest in the transportation and Roads key to growth “Chinese people are not only hard- and rail networks for its distribu- ing blocks for creating a logistics Works and Transport. construction sectors. We want them Driving such transport infra- working but smart. Th ey fi nish up tion activities is oil giant NAM- nation, including public investment “We have to make sure that we to come, bring money and develop structure development is the Roads projects on time. If you are a con- COR. in infrastructure, efficient opera- have facilities that allow investors the country, and work together with Contractor Company Ltd — or tractor and you get the opportunity “We entered the logistics, market- tion by private-sector companies, and tourists to come to Namibia,” us.” RCC in short. Th e fi rm is Namibia’s to fi nish a construction project ear- ing and distribution sectors through strong support and cooperation said Erkki Nghimtina, Works and Th e Walvis Bay Corridor Group largest civil engineering company lier, then you would be a sustainable, participation in fuel tenders in line from local government, and inter- Transport Minister. is a public-private partnership and works in the construction and profi table contractor. We have picked with its new strategy of building an national cooperation and facilita- that joins the forces, capabilities maintenance of roads throughout up a lot of tricks and techniques on integrated oil company that would tion at cross-border areas. Major challenge and common objectives of the key the country. how they are doing that. One of the compete on an equal footing with “To make Namibia a logistics “Th e major challenge is infrastruc- institutions in the transport sec- RCC competes for road con- things we have observed from the other industry players,” said NAM- nation, the government will there- ture development. We want to be a tor in order to streamline the costs struction and rehabilitation proj- Chinese is that they have a very good COR managing director, Obeth M. fore continue to pursue various inter- hub for the southern region. Th ose of transporting goods and services ects with other private contractors supply chain. Kandjoze. national and bilateral agreements facilities are not only for us but also within Namibia. and welcomes Chinese investors “When we talk about Chinese in setting one-stop border posts to to assist our neighbors. We’ve devel- The group takes a holistic view in the sector, as they can compete value added role in infrastructure InFocus provided the story Full steam ahead for TransNamib

Specializing in the transportation with expert skills is impressive. We of bulk and containerized freight have asked them to come and train throughout Namibian and beyond, our people on the ground and they TransNamib Holdings Ltd is the have agreed. national transport logistic provider Th e senior executive explained that and utilizes a combination of rail and under the country’s NDP4 blueprint, road transport. the government has given logistics The Windhoek-based compa- priority status and TransNamib is ny serves both the Namibian and well positioned to lead the most regional markets and has a vast important changes of the Namibian range of commercial depots in economy. key centers in Namibia and South “As a new CEO, I want to trans- Africa, where the State-owned fi rm form this company — to make it the has a strong presence in cities like rail company of choice, especially Johannesburg, Durban and Cape when it comes to bulk freight,” she Town. said. “Even though the country has TransNamib facilitates the reli- an open market, with the govern- able and cost-eff ective movement ment inviting companies to invest of valuable cargoes in the Southern in various aspects of the road infra- Africa Development Communi- structure, it is my goal to get the ty region and is looking to attract freight back on the railways. It is major investment from China, par- As a new CEO, I want to much more environmentally friend- ticularly in the Walvis Bay Develop- transform this company ly than transporting goods via roads. ment Corridor. — to make it the rail In Namibia there is a high accident The firm has worked with Chi- ‘‘ rate on the roads and so rail is safer. nese suppliers for many years and company of choice.” Additionally, transporting goods via earlier this year received an injec- SARA N. M. NAANDA rail is fi nancially more viable than tion of $200 million from the gov- CEO, TRANSNAMIB HOLDINGS LTD roads.” ernment in order to modernize its TransNamib is also planning to fleet and upgrade infrastructure. develop its non-freight services by China’s Exim Bank has played an “We recently strengthened our taking advantage of Namibia’s boom- important role in providing credit partnership with China Railway ing tourism industry. lines to the railway operator for day- Materials Company Limited,” she Struggle Ihuhua, general manag- to-day operations. said. “We signed a cooperation er of TransNamib Properties, said: TransNamib CEO, Sara N. M. agreement in Beijing on how to “We can cater for Chinese tourists Naanda, is determined to grow the work together going forward. Th is as we provide a fi ve-star rail service, company’s operations and enhance trip was very important for us and called the Desert Express, which its reputation as the leader in the pro- demonstrates how important China runs from Windhoek to Swakop- vision of rail and road transport solu- is for us as a company. We have had mund.” tions within and across the borders of excellent experiences with China and the country. the amount of engineers they have InFocus provided the story