Finance Minister Erica Shafudah has called on Eastern and Southern African countries to turn regional integration commitments into practical action.

Shafudah warned that poor connectivity, high transport costs and trade barriers continue to limit Africa's economic potential.

Speaking at the 2026 Joint Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts in Windhoek, Shafudah said stronger transport infrastructure, harmonised customs procedures and cross-border investment are important for expanding trade, creating jobs and driving industrial development.

Shafudah pointed out Namibia's strategic position as a regional trade gateway, pointing to investments in the Port of Walvis Bay and the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor as key links connecting Southern African markets.

The Finance minister also pushed for innovative financing mechanisms, stronger domestic resource mobilisation and greater private-sector participation to address the continent's limited fiscal space.

"The reduction of the cost of credit is an important area that requires our collective attention. We must also strengthen cooperation among our development finance institutions and explore innovative financing mechanisms that can support cross-border investments. I am encouraged that the programme before us provides an opportunity to engage on all these areas and other important matters, including macroeconomic developments, regional trade facilitation, energy connectivity, productive finance, and tourism."

UNECA Southern Africa Director Eunice Kamwendo noted how poor infrastructure and logistical bottlenecks undermine regional trade, citing Malawi's failed US$300 million agricultural supply deal with South Sudan. 

She called for investment in transport, energy and digital connectivity, as well as bankable cross-border projects to unlock trade and investment.

"This is precisely why we must move from generation alone to integration,  because energy security is not achieved by volume only but by access, reliability, and delivery. It is encouraging to note the growing diversification in our energy mix, however, in both regions, especially in renewable energy, driven by the twin pressures of economic resilience and climate change."

Both officials urged delegates to focus on practical interventions that can accelerate economic benefits across Africa.