Namibia and the Republic of Congo are set to sign new agreements this week aimed at deepening economic cooperation in the oil and gas sector and enhancing port logistics between the two countries, officials said.
The announcements came during a meeting between Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, Congo’s Minister of International Cooperation and Promotion of Public-Private Partnerships. Sassou Nguesso delivered a special message from Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso ahead of the Joint Cooperation Commission (JCC) meeting.
“We would like to increase the cooperation between our two countries. This cooperation has already started long, long years ago,” Sassou Nguesso said after meeting Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The agreements to be signed during the JCC will link Congo’s Port of Pointe-Noire, the country’s main commercial port, with the Namibian Ports Authority. Officials said the deal is intended to boost trade flows between Southern and Central Africa.
“Tomorrow, we are going to have two signatures between our port, the Port of Pointe-Noire, which is going to sign an agreement with the Port Authority of Namibia. This agreement is done to increase the trading between the two countries,” Sassou Nguesso said.
The port cooperation is expected to increase cargo traffic, streamline logistics, and strengthen regional trade networks. Pointe-Noire serves as a key gateway for Congolese exports, including oil, while Namibia stands to gain improved links to Central African markets.
The second major area of collaboration concerns the oil and gas sector. Namibia is emerging as a new oil producer following significant offshore discoveries, while Congo is an established oil exporter with decades of experience. The two countries’ national oil companies are expected to sign agreements focusing on technical cooperation, knowledge sharing, and potential joint ventures.
“We have identified two areas that we are going to focus on to work,” Sassou Nguesso said, adding that technical experts from both countries will finalise the details during the commission meetings.
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In addition to economic agreements, the Congolese delegation proposed reviving the Loudima project, a bilingual education initiative launched in 2014. The project, aimed at promoting education in English and French, had faced challenges but remains a priority for both governments. Congo’s Education Minister will meet Namibian authorities to explore ways to reinvigorate the initiative.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to strengthening ties with Congo. “We know and appreciate the good relationship between our two countries. Through the Joint Cooperation Commission, our experts are working to identify more areas of cooperation,” she said.
The Namibian president emphasised that the focus of bilateral cooperation should be practical and yield tangible benefits for citizens. “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,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
Analysts said the agreements are a significant step in fostering regional integration, supporting Namibia’s nascent oil industry, and leveraging Congo’s experience as an oil exporter. The deals are also expected to strengthen Southern-Central African trade links and enhance infrastructure connectivity across the region.
The Joint Cooperation Commission meeting is scheduled to take place later this week, where both the port and oil sector agreements will be formally signed.
