Botswana, Namibia vow to grow aviation sector

Transport and Logistics Sector Chairperson, Gobusamang Keebine has appealed to investors to invest in the aviation industry of Botswana as the sector needs to grow.

Addressing Namibia business delegates recently, Keebine said Namibia and Botswana should work together in the aviation sector. “There is no air connection between Namibia and Botswana but Air Namibia used to fly to Botswana but it only lasted for about some months. There is a gap in this area,” he said

He said the two countries should avoid competing in certain areas and work together. “Instead of working together we like to compete over little issues that we ourselves are not able to fulfil. There are lots of opportunities in the transport sector between the two countries,” said Keebine. Currently there is one flight from Windhoek to Gaborone operated by Kenya Airways.

For his part, the Namibia Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Immanuel Ngatjizeko said Namibia is prepared to take its economic cooperation to greater heights by affording more opportunities to Botswana entrepreneurs to exploit further trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. “We believe the two governments have put in place mechanisms to enhance business,” he said.

He said the two countries already share a great amount of tourism related visits. “This relationship can further be improved by investments in infrastructure that support the demands of each party. Although we relatively possess the same population sizes, it is impressive to look at what our countries have achieved in a short period of time,” said Ngatjizeko.