Namibia courts private sector

Namibia is courting
private sector
partnerships in order
to establish the country
as the preferred logistics hub for
land-locked Southern African
Development Community (SADC)
countries – and Gauteng.
Public private partnerships
(PPPs) are being sought for port
development, the extension and
revitalisation of the
rail network and
the establishment of
logistics hubs.
A Public Private
Partnership Bill is
in the process of
being drafted and
guided through
the Namibian
parliamentary
process.
The country’s PPP
Policy was published
by the ministry of
trade and industry
in September 2015.
“There is a clear
intention by government to engage
with the private sector to grow the
country,” Namport chief executive
officer Bisey Uirab told a Logistics
Hub Forum meeting in Walvis Bay
recently.
He called on business to “start
the dialogue.
“Come to the government
with viable projects that will
help transform Namibia into an
industrialised country,” he said.
Namport is inviting the private
sector to help it develop the
bulk SADC port opposite the
existing Walvis Bay facility,
according to business
development manager
Elias Mwenyo.
Initial investment
has been made by the
Namibian government.
Phase 1, which is
the building of a bulk
liquids jetty, is being
implemented by the
ministry of mines
and energy.
Work started in January 2015,
and it is due to be completed by
2018
“With completion of this phase,
the Port of Walvis Bay will be able
to import liquid bulk products
to cater for the SADC region,” he
says.
The quay is designed to allow
for private sector investment in
storage and distribution of liquids,
with an area near the new facility
being designated as a bulk liquid
storage zone.
“Future phases
of the SADC
port will be
developed through
public private
partnerships, where
Namport awards
concessions to
private terminals,”
he told the forum
meeting.
“We need
to attract
international
investors,” added
Walvis Bay Corridor
Group chief
executive officer Johny Smith.
“Namibia understands that if
you want to grow big, you have to
have big partners,” he said.
One of the immediate
opportunities is for the
establishment of single window
border operations between
Namibia and its neighbours. The
enabling legislation is currently
with cabinet.
INSERT & CAPTION
There is a clear
intention by
government to
engage with the
private sector to
grow the country.
– Bisey Uirab