MINES and energy minister Tom Alweendo will sign a memorandum on cooperation for the construction of a natural-gas pipeline from Zambia to Walvis Bay at Swakopmund.
Kapala stated that the gas will be used to power the country, while the oil pipeline will reduce the price of petroleum products in southern Africa.
He stated that the project was expected take three to four more years.
“It is good news that Namibia has discovered oil and gas, and we will discuss how this resource can be of benefit to the people of the region. The new pipeline will further benefit both people of Namibia and Zambia by creating value chains and employment creation,” said Namibia’s deputy prime minister and minister of international relations and cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Wednesday during the official opening of the two-day 10th session of the Namibia-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation held at Swakopmund.
On Wednesday, the Zambian ministerial team visited Walvis Bay. They also visited Namport, the oil storage facility, as well as the Zambia Dry Port, which was built upon land donated by the government.
The dry port has made Zambia sea-linked and has been a key contributor for the increased import/export volumes at Walvis Bay.
Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that the dry port is an important link for Namibia’s Southern African Development Community region. She also stated that Zambia’s dry port is the most active of all the Walvis Bay ports in terms of volume.
Stanley Kakubo (Zambia’s minister of international affairs and foreign cooperation) acknowledged that Namibia is close to Zambia and they share memberships in organisations like the African Union, the United Nations and SADC.
Source: namibian
