South Africa, Namibia push deeper energy and mining partnership

Opening the meeting, South African Co-Chair Ambassador Tebogo Seokolo said both governments have made it clear that economic cooperation must become a central focus of the bilateral relationship.

South Africa and Namibia are looking to strengthen their economic partnership by accelerating cooperation in energy, mining and trade, with recent oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin creating fresh opportunities for investment and regional development.

The call was made during the Senior Officials' Meeting of the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission held in Pretoria, where representatives from both countries reviewed progress on agreements reached since the previous commission meeting in Namibia in October 2023 and mapped out priorities for the next phase of cooperation.

Opening the meeting, South African Co-Chair Ambassador Tebogo Seokolo said both governments have made it clear that economic cooperation must become a central focus of the bilateral relationship. He urged officials to identify a limited number of high-impact projects capable of boosting trade, attracting investment, supporting industrial development and creating lasting economic benefits for citizens in both countries.

The discussions build on the Midterm Review hosted by South Africa in November 2025, where officials noted encouraging progress across several areas of cooperation while recognising that several commitments still require faster implementation. Seokolo encouraged delegates to use the meeting to remove bottlenecks, strengthen existing programmes and explore new areas where the neighbouring countries can work together more effectively.

Energy cooperation featured prominently during the talks, with the Orange Basin emerging as one of the region's most significant economic opportunities. Seokolo congratulated Namibia on its recent offshore oil and gas discoveries, describing the country's exploration success as one of the strongest ever recorded in a deepwater frontier basin.

Between February 2022 and the middle of 2026, 15 of the 17 wells drilled in Namibia's section of the Orange Basin resulted in commercial discoveries, giving the exploration campaign an estimated success rate of about 88%. Seokolo noted that the same geological formations extend into South African waters, creating favourable conditions for the two countries to develop a regional energy corridor that could attract investment and strengthen Southern Africa's energy sector.

Mining was identified as another area with substantial potential for joint development. South Africa and Namibia possess significant reserves of strategic minerals such as rare earth elements, uranium, lithium, copper, graphite and manganese, all of which are becoming increasingly important for global manufacturing and clean energy technologies.

Seokolo said concluding a memorandum of understanding on geology and mining would establish a practical framework for technical cooperation, information sharing and investment promotion, helping both countries unlock greater value from their mineral resources.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of improving regional connectivity through the Trans-Kalahari Corridor. Strengthening the transport route is expected to improve the movement of goods and services, support cross-border trade and deepen economic integration across Southern Africa.

Seokolo expressed confidence that the discussions would provide a strong foundation for the upcoming Fourth Session of the South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission and contribute to a broader partnership built on shared economic growth, sustainable resource development and closer regional cooperation.