Last week at Windhoek, a high-level US African Command (Africom) delegation led by Lt. Gen. John W. Brennan JNR, joined by Ambassador Robert K. Scott, met with Namibian Minister of Defense Fran Capofi. This indicates that Namibia is an increasingly important partner in the region.
An engagement-savvy trustworthy insider told DefenseWeb that Brennan and Scott were warmly accepted during their visit and engaged in a productive meeting with Capofi. Africom expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet Kapofi, highlighting the value of the visit in building strategic relationships and mutual understanding.
Many of this insights were collected from exclusive interviews conducted in both Brennan and Scott during their official trips to Angola and Namibia.
With a 1,572km (978 miles) of Atlantic coastline, Namibia's geographical position makes it a key actor in maritime realm recognition and regional logistics. Its port – Walvis Bay is strengthening access to blue waters, which is increasingly important to the US maritime security stance in the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. Namibian capital, Windhoek retains historic and political significance as the site of the 1992 Windhoek Treaty.
The United States has long recognized the value of Namibia. Naval diplomacy efforts such as USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, a Lewis B Puller class expeditionary sea base, highlight a stable arc of cooperation. In particular, the vessels called the ports at Walvis Bay in September 2021 and again in September 2022, during which joint training with the Namibian Navy was held.
In the Ovangham Express 2022 exercise, Namibia will deploy its biggest naval asset, NS Elephant, and highlight that it is ready to contribute meaningfully to multilateral maritime safety efforts along with other partners in Angola and Central Africa.
“Namibia plays an important role as an anchor to promote stability in South Africa,” Brennan said. “We are grateful for the willingness to meet this week. Our continued collaboration between the two countries reflects our shared commitment to addressing the complex challenges in the region and moving forward in the realm of mutual benefits. We look forward to working with Namibia to develop new paths of cooperation in the future.”
“The US Africa Command is dedicated to building strong partnerships with African countries like Namibia, which directly contribute to regional security, stability and prosperity,” Scott said. “From participating in maritime security events to working with Namibia on important projects such as building outdoor hospitals and combating wildlife trafficking and other cross-border threats,” he said.
Brennan is responsible for serving as Africa's deputy commander for military operations and directing strategic defense involvement across the continent. His leadership in this visit reflects the operational weight of the South African partnership and the ongoing location of Africa.
The visit also provided a platform to advance cooperation on shared local security concerns. The discussion focuses on strengthening coordinated efforts to address transnational challenges such as maritime domain awareness, joint training opportunities, and human trafficking of wildlife and timber. For countries like Namibia, with strategic Atlantic coastlines, vast natural resources and globally important conservation areas, this multidimensional cooperation provides tools not only for national security, but for the preservation of its sovereignty and natural heritage.
Last month, Namibia attended the 2025 Africa Maritime Force Summit as a participant, and his previous role as an observer for Exercise Obangame Express 2025 shows he is ready with growing partners to be deeply involved in multilateral defense dialogue.
Private sector collaboration continues to be another realm of commitment. The US and Namibian teams are particularly relevant initiatives as they prepare for future public health emergencies and natural disasters. The inclusion of these programs within a broader security dialogue reflects Africom's “by peace strength” approach to regional stability.
These joint efforts will provide both countries with practical and strategic value as Namibia balances internal development with external security challenges, including human trafficking. It also serves as a confidence building measure that strengthens sovereignty and autonomy rather than dependencies.
As geopolitical pressures rise on the continent, we provide Africa with trusted anchor partners in southern Africa, from global power competition to the ripple effects of instability in northern Mozambique, the Sahel or Somalia.
Perlmate is a Washington, D.C.-based geopolitical analyst and correspondent with expertise in foreign policy and international security, regularly covering the Pentagon and White House. Follow her on X (Twitter): @pearlmatibe.
