Revive the Trans-Cunene corridor from decline to strategic integration
In 2020, at a roundtable hosted by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), CEO Hippy Mbahupu Tjivikua raised a crucial question: “What steps can we take to rejuvenate the struggling Trans Cunene Corridor?”
This query was not merely a thought exercise; it represented a critical necessity. The Trans-Cunene Corridor serves as a transportation route that connects the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia to southern Angola, extending as far north as Lubango. This corridor was the second most important transit pathway in Southern Africa, following the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor formerly known as Trans-Caprivi, and it facilitated essential commercial connections through Otjiwarongo, Ondangwa, and Oshikango.
However, today, this once-bustling highway has fallen silent, characterised by reduced cargo movement, inactive transport infrastructure, and abandoned border town (Oshikango), illustrating a stark decline. That question continues to resonate with me today. It transcended being a mere inquiry; it was an urgent summons for change. The Trans-Cunene Corridor, formerly a vital channel of trade between Namibia and Angola, has now become a mere reminiscence of its glorious past.
But over the years, we have watched it slowly fade with less traffic, fewer trucks, and dying border towns that once bustled with cross-border commerce. What went wrong? One of the first major blows came when America halted the use of the US dollar in Angola and in its economy. This monetary policy change did not just affect Angolans’ livelihoods, it ruptured the entire supply chain. Businesses in Oshikango that relied heavily on Angolan clients were forced to shut down.
Trade volumes through the corridor dropped sharply. The economic vacuum that followed left logistics companies, traders, and workers stranded in an uncertain market. The emergence of the Lobito Corridor posed another significant challenge. As Angola poured investment into the development of its Lobito Port and related infrastructure, it began to offer a more attractive route to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Namibia’s comparative advantage weakened. In logistics, time and cost efficiency dictate choice, and Angola, with its Atlantic Ocean access and growing infrastructure capacity, began to look more appealing to regional traders. To add fuel to the fire, Covid-19 hit, and Angola closed its borders for almost two years.
While every corridor in the region suffered, the Trans-Cunene Corridor was uniquely vulnerable because of its heavy reliance on Angolan trade. Business relations, supply chains, and informal trade networks were severed. Recovery from this closure has been slow and uneven. Now, we are at a crossroads quite literally. Namibia stands to lose not only Angola but also the Zambian and DRC markets if the Lobito Corridor reaches full operational maturity. Our policymakers must not underestimate this threat.
Angola’s advantage is not accidental, it is strategic. The country has vast natural resources, better sea access, and a vision to become a regional logistics hub especially to the landlocked nations such as Zambia. Namibia, though smaller in scale, must not retreat, it must reimagine.
As the minister of works and transport, Veikko Nekundi, wisely stated at the US- Africa Business Summit in Luanda: Namibia and Angola must not see each other as competitors, but as counterparts. There is room for synergy, shared investment, and integrated growth. Development along the Trans-Cunene Corridor can and should complement Angola’s ambitions.
But collaboration must come with introspection. Namibia must rethink its own logistics ecosystem. Central to that is railway transportation, still a largely underutilised asset. Let us return to the vision of our late Founding President Sam Nujoma, who understood that rail connectivity would be the backbone of regional trade and development. A robust railway linking Walvis Bay to Angola’s deep hinterland, with efficient intermodal systems, could be the game-changer.
Furthermore, Namibia must prioritize policy harmonisation, infrastructure financing, and private-sector engagement. Namibia must reduce customs and road bottlenecks, digitize trade processes especially at the borders, and ensure that border towns like Oshikango are equipped with the facilities and incentives to support commerce.
Public-private partnerships should be reignited, and Namibia’s investment promotion strategies must include corridor development as a centerpiece. In the broader context, Namibia cannot develop in a vacuum. The government and private sector must look to Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, and other African partners as co-architects of a more integrated Southern Africa.
Poverty, underdevelopment, and instability are regional challenges that require regional solutions. Political instability in the DRC or Mozambique does not just affect those countries. It disrupts trade, halts investments, and hinders growth across borders. In conclusion, revitalizing the Trans-Cunene Corridor is not just about moving cargo it is about reigniting regional hope. It’s about Namibia reclaiming its role as a gateway, not just to Angola, but to Africa’s economic future. If we fail to act, the silence along this corridor will become permanent.
But if we come together with vision, investment, and partnership then we can turn this silent route into a strategic engine for inclusive development. Let us not let the question asked in 2020 remain unanswered. The corridor may be dying but it doesn’t have to die.
*Hosea Shishiveni is a Namibian scholar and researcher and can be contacted at hoseasn8@gmail.com. The views herein are his own.**
This query was not merely a thought exercise; it represented a critical necessity. The Trans-Cunene Corridor serves as a transportation route that connects the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia to southern Angola, extending as far north as Lubango. This corridor was the second most important transit pathway in Southern Africa, following the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor formerly known as Trans-Caprivi, and it facilitated essential commercial connections through Otjiwarongo, Ondangwa, and Oshikango.
However, today, this once-bustling highway has fallen silent, characterised by reduced cargo movement, inactive transport infrastructure, and abandoned border town (Oshikango), illustrating a stark decline. That question continues to resonate with me today. It transcended being a mere inquiry; it was an urgent summons for change. The Trans-Cunene Corridor, formerly a vital channel of trade between Namibia and Angola, has now become a mere reminiscence of its glorious past.
But over the years, we have watched it slowly fade with less traffic, fewer trucks, and dying border towns that once bustled with cross-border commerce. What went wrong? One of the first major blows came when America halted the use of the US dollar in Angola and in its economy. This monetary policy change did not just affect Angolans’ livelihoods, it ruptured the entire supply chain. Businesses in Oshikango that relied heavily on Angolan clients were forced to shut down.
Trade volumes through the corridor dropped sharply. The economic vacuum that followed left logistics companies, traders, and workers stranded in an uncertain market. The emergence of the Lobito Corridor posed another significant challenge. As Angola poured investment into the development of its Lobito Port and related infrastructure, it began to offer a more attractive route to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Namibia’s comparative advantage weakened. In logistics, time and cost efficiency dictate choice, and Angola, with its Atlantic Ocean access and growing infrastructure capacity, began to look more appealing to regional traders. To add fuel to the fire, Covid-19 hit, and Angola closed its borders for almost two years.
While every corridor in the region suffered, the Trans-Cunene Corridor was uniquely vulnerable because of its heavy reliance on Angolan trade. Business relations, supply chains, and informal trade networks were severed. Recovery from this closure has been slow and uneven. Now, we are at a crossroads quite literally. Namibia stands to lose not only Angola but also the Zambian and DRC markets if the Lobito Corridor reaches full operational maturity. Our policymakers must not underestimate this threat.
Angola’s advantage is not accidental, it is strategic. The country has vast natural resources, better sea access, and a vision to become a regional logistics hub especially to the landlocked nations such as Zambia. Namibia, though smaller in scale, must not retreat, it must reimagine.
As the minister of works and transport, Veikko Nekundi, wisely stated at the US- Africa Business Summit in Luanda: Namibia and Angola must not see each other as competitors, but as counterparts. There is room for synergy, shared investment, and integrated growth. Development along the Trans-Cunene Corridor can and should complement Angola’s ambitions.
But collaboration must come with introspection. Namibia must rethink its own logistics ecosystem. Central to that is railway transportation, still a largely underutilised asset. Let us return to the vision of our late Founding President Sam Nujoma, who understood that rail connectivity would be the backbone of regional trade and development. A robust railway linking Walvis Bay to Angola’s deep hinterland, with efficient intermodal systems, could be the game-changer.
Furthermore, Namibia must prioritize policy harmonisation, infrastructure financing, and private-sector engagement. Namibia must reduce customs and road bottlenecks, digitize trade processes especially at the borders, and ensure that border towns like Oshikango are equipped with the facilities and incentives to support commerce.
Public-private partnerships should be reignited, and Namibia’s investment promotion strategies must include corridor development as a centerpiece. In the broader context, Namibia cannot develop in a vacuum. The government and private sector must look to Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, and other African partners as co-architects of a more integrated Southern Africa.
Poverty, underdevelopment, and instability are regional challenges that require regional solutions. Political instability in the DRC or Mozambique does not just affect those countries. It disrupts trade, halts investments, and hinders growth across borders. In conclusion, revitalizing the Trans-Cunene Corridor is not just about moving cargo it is about reigniting regional hope. It’s about Namibia reclaiming its role as a gateway, not just to Angola, but to Africa’s economic future. If we fail to act, the silence along this corridor will become permanent.
But if we come together with vision, investment, and partnership then we can turn this silent route into a strategic engine for inclusive development. Let us not let the question asked in 2020 remain unanswered. The corridor may be dying but it doesn’t have to die.
*Hosea Shishiveni is a Namibian scholar and researcher and can be contacted at hoseasn8@gmail.com. The views herein are his own.**
