REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

STATEMENT BY HONOURABLE NETUMBO NANDI-NDAITWAH,

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL

RELATIONS AND COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL'S HIGH LEVEL

GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

26 NOVEMBER 2016 TURKMENIST AN

(Check Against Delivery)

I\1t

III

1IIIj~

!

·r

)j

STATEMENT BY HON. NETUMBO NANDI-NDAITWH, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANDMINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSAND COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OFNAMIBIA ON THE O.CASSION OF THESECRETARY-GENERAL'S HIGH-LEVEL GLOBALCONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT,TURKMENISTAN, 26-27TH NOVEMBER 2016.

Your Excellence Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedw,President of the Republic of Turkmenistan,

Your Excellence Ban Ki Moon, Secretary Generalof the United Nations,

Your Excellencies Fellow Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen.

Namibia commends the initiator of thisimportant Global Conference on SustainableTransport. In the same vain we thank thegovernment and the people of Turkmenistan forhosting the conference, the warm welcome andhospitality accorded to our delegation and theexcellent facilities put at our disposal. All puttogether indicates a guarantee for a successfulconference.

.-~.

,>i

r1

It is a fact that transport is a prerequisite forsustainable development,' as it allows the safeand efficient movement of people and goodsfrom production areas to industrial centers forvalue addition, distribution and consumption.

Transport is critical for both rural and urbandevelopment. Commercial farmers and small-scale farmers in rural areas will need theirgoods to be transported to the markets. It has tobe acknowledged that global warming and itsnegative impact on climate need to be wellmanaged, if not, transport can negatively affectthe environment.

There is a need to seek solutions on the use oftechnology and innovation that will ensuresustainable transport. This will enable us toachieve the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment and the Paris Agreement onClimate Change.

Namibia recognizes the fundamental role ofsustainable transport in fighting Climate Changeto achieve the future ({WEWANT", As a youngcountry, in 1995 Namibia adopted a WhitePaper on the Transport Policy.

One of the major elements of the policy was theestablishment of an integrated transportsystem, cognizant of the requirement ofNamibia's international and regional networkconnectivity and the welfare of its citizen,

In implementing the policy on Transport}Namibia has embarked on a project to upgradethe Walvis Bay Port and the establishment of theWalvis Bay Corridors} namely Trans-Kalahariand Trans-Caprivi, This has enabled landlockedneighbors} such as Botswana, Zimbabwe andZambia} to have access to the sea throughallocation of dry ports at Walvis Bay, As a matterof fact the Port of Walvis Bay has become thepreferred African West Coast port of logisticscorridor for southern and central Africanlogistical operations.

Aware of limitless integrated development thatinclude manufacturing} research oftechnological components} as well as the transit}import and export of goods, Namibia took onboard the development of the most efficient andreliable port hub for Southern Africa with theshortest routes to Europe, the two America andNorth and West Africa,

,~,;

i

:

Working within the SADC Industrialisationstrategy, NEPAD projects, and in line with theAU Agenda 2063, as well as the UN Resolution70/197 of December 2015, Namibia is pursuingthe development of transport infrastructure,which will have a great impact on the regionaland continental connectivity, job creation andpoverty eradication, Such projects are a mix ofroad, water, air and rail transport,

Our Logistics Master Plan is for Namibia to beconnected with reliable transport to all herneighbors. Currently we have serviced road andair connection with all our neighbors, railconnection with South Africa and Namibianrailway line has reached our boarder withAngola.

An agreement on the construction of the railwayline between Namibia and Botswana was signedand discussion with Zambia for the twocountries railway lines to connect is underway.

With the coming into force of our EnvironmentalManagement Act and guided by ourConstitution, environmental impact andmanagement are always. considered in theplanning design and implementation of allprojects in Namibia including those of transport,

~i:1,i,"

~~.1

4";::,I

Ie.

~.

To that end, this conference has come at the ~right time, when environmental protection istaking a centre stage globally. We are thereforelooking forward to this conference to come upwith clear and workable recommendations,

Those recommendations must becomestrategies for the realization of Agenda 2030,with special attention to poverty eradication.Following our president's declaration of war onpoverty guided by the Harambee ProsperityPlan each and everyone in Namibia has to playher or his part.

Namibia is confident that with political willadequate and targeted funding and innovation,Sustainable Transport will be realized.

I THANK YOU,

1-~,i