Namibia is recognised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as one of the countries in Africa with the highest quality roads. 

For the fifth consecutive year, the country has maintained its leading position in road infrastructure on the continent. 

The Road Sector Policy Conference, underway in the capital, will deliberate on road safety and sustainability in the coming years.

The event brought together industry experts and leaders to discuss strategies for preserving and improving the safety of Namibia's highly regarded road network.

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Iipumbu Shiimi, attributed the high standards of Namibian roads to strong governance and effective leadership by bodies including the Namibia Roads Authority and the Roads Fund Administration. 

He acknowledged the importance of funding but encouraged participants to look beyond finances and focus on sustainable strategies to avoid repeated repairs.

"When we reach that tipping point, things will accelerate, and when that takes off, cars are no longer going to use fuel; they're going to use electricity, so then we have no funding for our road sector, so I believe one of the discussions should be, with all these changes that are taking place, how do we still fund the road sector in such a way that we will still have our resources to be able to fund our road sector to remain an enabler to development and industrialisation of the continent?"

Shiimi proposed a way for experts to consider how they can develop resilient infrastructure to address the negative impacts of climate change on Namibia.

The Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, in a speech read on his behalf, recognised the role played by the late President Hage Geingob when he entrusted him with the responsibilities of managing the transport sector.

"Allow me to foremost pay tribute to the legacy of our departed President Hage G. Geingob. Under his steadfast and courageous leadership, I have been honoured as a Minister responsible for works and transport, and his visionary leadership has left an extraordinary mark in our transport sector through some of the key infrastructure and projects he has initiated and championed."