Namibia and Uganda are determined to turn decades of political solidarity into trade and investment, as a Ugandan business delegation is scouting opportunities in key economic sectors.
The visit comes as both countries look to use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) to reverse low bilateral trade.
The Ugandan business delegation led by former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem met President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at State House, with two-way investment opportunities topping the agenda.
Oryem says discussions with the president left the delegation confident that Namibia offers a favourable environment for investment and economic partnerships.
"We have had a successful discussion with Her Excellency the President, together with the Minister in the presidency and their team. We think there is a very good opportunity for this team to invest here in Namibia and create employment, pay taxes, and ensure the benefits remain with the people of Namibia and create employment, pay taxes, and the benefits remain to the people of Namibia hereafter."
The delegation is exploring projects in energy, agriculture, information and communication technology, security and youth empowerment.
The visit comes against the backdrop of modest trade between the two countries.
The latest figures show Uganda exported goods worth about $605,000 to Namibia in 2024, mainly furniture, uncoated paper and iron products.
Namibia's exports to Uganda have fallen sharply over the past five years, dropping from $32,5 million in 2019 to just $479,000 in 2024.
Oryem says unlocking the full potential of the AfCTA starts with synergies between Africa's regional economic blocs.
"So those discussions have begun within SADC to see how there's going to be free movement of trade, opportunities, tax and all that into African trade within SADC, and we hope that those ideas and resolutions will merge with the rest of the East African Community, and then we can move to another ECOWAS, and then we can move to other regions in that spirit within Africa. I'm here with a delegation from Uganda to see how we could get strategic investors who have invested in Uganda, have been successful in Uganda, and particularly African investors to see the opportunities of investing in Namibia."
The Ugandan delegation believes enhanced links between the regional blocs are rooted in the same vision that united African countries during the struggle for political freedom as they forge ahead with economic emancipation.