Abstract:
The positive contribution of logistics to regional development has a long pedigree. Most
scholars and development practitioners alike converge on the common understanding that
logistical activities (seaport, dry port, transport, Physical Distribution Management and
facilities, warehousing and storage) spur regional development for coastal countries with
functional ports and logistics systems. A few scholars, however, doubt the significance of
logistics in regional development. This is because the utilization of logistics as an
instrument for regional planning is relatively recent in the advanced economies. Namibian
through its logistics Master Plan out to become a logistics hub for the Southern Africa
region by 2025. With that in mind, logistics assumes an important role as an instrument of
territorial planning because it can improve the transportation and communication structure,
decreasing dead time on a regional scale as well as planning its future development.
Therefore, this presentation attempts to analyse the potential contributions of enhancing
regional development in Namibia, through the logistics lenses. The nexus between dry
ports and regional development is then illustrated in a conceptual framework. The
framework indicates that the logistics system provides long-term and short-term benefits
from the regional development perspective. In the short run, logistics systems enhance
seaport accessibility, boost production volume, increase the employment rate, and attract
more investment.
