Namibia and the Republic of Congo are on the verge of signing a series of landmark agreements spanning the oil and gas sector and maritime trade, signalling a major expansion of bilateral cooperation between Southern and Central Africa.
The deal was confirmed following a high-level meeting between Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, Congo’s Minister of International Cooperation and Promotion of Public-Private Partnership, who delivered a special message from Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso ahead of the upcoming Joint Cooperation Commission (JCC) meeting.
The agreements set to be signed during the JCC will link Congo’s Port of Pointe-Noire with the Namibian Ports Authority, and will bring together the national oil companies of both nations to cooperate in the fast-growing energy sector. “We would also like to focus on the oil and gas sector, because in Namibia, you now have some oil. The SNPC, the national company of our country, Congo, is going to sign the agreement with the national company of Namibia to work together in this area,” Sassou Nguesso said.
Congo brings decades of experience as an established oil producer to the partnership, while Namibia is rapidly emerging as a new petroleum frontier following major offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin. The collaboration is expected to centre on technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and potential joint ventures. President Nandi-Ndaitwah welcomed the Congolese delegation warmly, stating: “Our objective is to ensure that cooperation between our two countries produces concrete results. We want to see progress not only in education, but also in trade, energy and other sectors that can grow our economies and create opportunities for our people.”
Source: neweralive.na