THE Walvis Bay Corridor Group continues to promote Namibia as a logistics hub.
They are doing this through their logistics hub project which implements strategies and plans detailed in Namibia's logistics hub master plan.
With the commissioning of the new container terminal at the port of Walvis Bay, slated for August this year, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) intensified efforts to attract more volumes and additional investments in infrastructure.
WBCG's acting chief executive officer, Clive Smith, explained that "sustaining the momentum gained under the logistics hub project whilst enhancing our business development activities to attract new opportunities to Namibia remain one of our core focus areas. With that said, the WBCG constantly re-evaluates its approach to the market."
Under the logistics hub project, a number of additional studies and programmes to support this initiative have been rolled out and completed over the past year.
Amongst them was the strategic marketing study, which looked at current trade in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), focusing on major volumes to and from markets like Zambia, the DRC, South Africa and Botswana. Through this, the most suitable cargo type was identified, and is supported by a strategic intervention plan to move more cargo on the Walvis Bay corridors.
The most recent project under the logistics hub initiative was the launch of the 'Namibia State of Logistics' report, an important tool to gauge key areas in driving the Namibia logistics hub initiative.
For the organisation, this means fostering alliances and closer working relations with members as well as users of the Walvis Bay corridors, existing and potential.
The logistics hub project aims to deepen economic integration, put in place measures to improve competitiveness, and enhance closer trade and investment linkages.
"We rely heavily on partners and our stakeholders, and thus allow me to extend our heartfelt appreciation to those who support Namibia's drive to transform itself into a logistics nation. As a service organisation, our stakeholders and partners remain at the forefront of our daily activities. Consolidating our activities of the past five years as we developed and implemented the Namibia logistics master plan, our members and other stakeholders can be assured of our continued efforts to put Namibia on the map as a viable trade route in terms of efficiencies and cost-effectiveness," said Smith.
Many important steps have been initiated, leading to the development of Namibia as a logistics hub for southern Africa. The success of the logistics hub project hinges on a coordinated and synergised implementation of the logistics master plan programmes and projects.
Looking forward, the project aims to tackle the areas of capacity-building, strategic marketing, better-integrated border management, green logistics, and port and corridor development.
* Source: WBCG e-newsletter.
SOURCE: All Africa
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