Namibia and Angola have renewed their commitment to the long-anticipated Baynes hydropower project on the Kunene River, following a high-level bilateral meeting held in Luanda.
According to a statement issued by the Namibian Presidency on Monday, the cross-border energy initiative was declared a matter of urgency by both President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and her Angolan counterpart, President João Lourenço.
The leaders emphasised the project’s critical role in boosting regional economic development and expanding access to reliable electricity in both countries. The Baynes hydropower plant has been in planning for several years and is seen as a cornerstone of joint infrastructure and energy cooperation.
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The meeting marked President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first international engagement since taking office in March and underlined her administration’s focus on regional partnerships. Discussions extended beyond hydropower, encompassing joint plans to expand electricity transmission lines and water canals into northern Namibia—measures aimed at supporting agricultural and industrial growth. The two countries also reviewed proposals to establish a new rail link to enhance cross-border trade and logistics.
Energy cooperation was a central theme, particularly in oil and gas. Angola reaffirmed its readiness to assist Namibia in developing its emerging petroleum sector through technical training and capacity-building. This includes support from Angola’s state-owned oil company, Sonangol, which is already collaborating with Namcor, Namibia’s national oil company.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah also visited Sonils, Sonangol’s logistics subsidiary, praising it as a benchmark for Namibia’s local content aspirations. “Angola has built capacity in the oil and gas sector, providing training to Namibians in Angola, and has demonstrably shown readiness to assist Namibia’s nascent oil and gas sector,” the Namibian Presidency stated.
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The renewed energy and infrastructure partnership signals a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, with both nations committed to harnessing shared resources for mutual development.
