Zambia was honoured to welcome Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, to State House in Lusaka for a day of warm and productive bilateral talks. The visit marked President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first official trip to Zambia since assuming office, but it also carried a deeply personal significance. As a long-time ally and former resident of Lusaka during Namibia’s liberation struggle, her return was both historic and symbolic.
The discussions, led by President Hakainde Hichilema and President Nandi-Ndaitwah, centred on enhancing cooperation between the two southern African nations. With global geopolitics undergoing rapid change, the two leaders stressed the urgent need for African nations to intensify intra-continental trade and regional investment.
“Our continent must urgently scale up intra-African trade and investment,” President Hichilema stated. “This requires robust investment in jointly owned infrastructure that connects our people and economies.”
A focal point of the bilateral dialogue was the Walvis Bay–Ndola–Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC), a transformative infrastructure project linking landlocked Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Namibia’s Atlantic coast. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the corridor, recognising its critical role in boosting trade flow, reducing transport costs, and improving access to international markets.
Namibia expressed its full support for Zambia’s vision of becoming a “land-linked” economy, an agenda that aligns seamlessly with Namibia’s own strategic outlook for regional cooperation and integration.
“Namibia remains one of Zambia’s most strategic partners,” President Hichilema noted, “with our countries bound not only by economic and geographic ties but also by a shared history of struggle, solidarity, and enduring friendship.”
The leaders also discussed collaborative efforts in areas such as energy, agriculture, mining, and infrastructure development—sectors viewed as pivotal for creating jobs, enhancing food security, and achieving sustainable growth for both nations.
As Africa moves toward deeper integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), partnerships like that between Zambia and Namibia serve as a model for mutual progress through cooperation, connectivity, and shared prosperity.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s visit underscored the enduring bonds between the two nations and set a positive tone for the next chapter of Zambia–Namibia relations.