A high-level U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) delegation led by Lieutenant General John W Brennan Jnr, joined by Ambassador Robert K Scott, met with Namibia’s Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Frans Kapofi in Windhoek last week, a move that signals Namibia’s increasingly significant as a reliable partner in the region.
A credible insider familiar with the engagements told defenceWeb that Brennan and Scott were warmly received and well hosted during their visit, engaged in productive meetings with Kapofi. AFRICOM expressed its appreciation for the opportunity to meet with Kapofi and emphasised the visit’s value in building strategic rapport and mutual understanding.
Much of this insight was gleaned from an exclusive interview defenceWeb conducted with both Brennan and Scott during their two-country official travel to Angola and Namibia.
With approximately 1 572 kilometers (978 miles) of Atlantic coastline, Namibia’s geographic position makes it a vital actor in maritime domain awareness and regional logistics. Its port—Walvis Bay—offers blue water access that is increasingly critical to the United States’ maritime security posture in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, holds historical and political significance as the signing location of the Treaty of Windhoek in 1992, the founding agreement that established the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The US has long recognized Namibia’s value. Naval diplomacy efforts such as those involving the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, a Lewis B Puller-class expeditionary sea base, underscore a steady arc of cooperation. Notably, the vessel made port calls in Walvis Bay in September 2021 and again in September 2022, during which joint training with the Namibian Navy was conducted.
In Exercise Obangame Express 2022, Namibia deployed its largest naval asset, the NS Elephant, underscoring its readiness to contribute meaningfully to multilateral maritime security efforts alongside partners like Angola and others across West and Central Africa.
“Namibia plays an important role as an anchor for fostering stability in southern Africa,” said Brennan. “I appreciate Minister Kapofi’s willingness to meet this week. Our two nations’ ongoing collaboration reflects a shared commitment to addressing complex challenges in the region and advancing areas of mutual interests. We look forward to working with Namibia to develop new avenues of cooperation in the future.”
“US Africa Command is dedicated to forging strong partnerships with African nations like Namibia who are directly contributing to security, stability, and prosperity in the region,” said Scott. “From participating in maritime security events to collaborating on vital projects like building field hospitals and countering wildlife trafficking and other transnational threats, we are finding common ground with Namibia.”
Brennan serves as Africom’s Deputy Commander for Military Operations, responsible for directing strategic defense engagements across the continent. His leadership in this visit reflects the operational weight and continuity Africom places on its southern Africa partnerships.
The visit also offered a platform for advancing cooperation on shared regional security concerns. Discussions focused on strengthening maritime domain awareness, joint training opportunities, and coordinated efforts to address transnational challenges such as wildlife and timber trafficking. For a country like Namibia—with a strategic Atlantic coastline, vast natural resources, and globally significant conservation areas—this multidimensional cooperation offers tools not only for national security, but also for the preservation of its sovereignty and natural heritage.
Last month, Namibia’s attendance at the 2025 African Maritime Forces Summit as a participant, and its earlier role as an observer during Exercise Obangame Express 2025, signaled a growing partners—and readiness—for deeper involvement in multilateral defense dialogues.
Civil-sector collaboration continues to be another area of promise. US and Namibian teams have partnered in building field hospitals – a particularly relevant initiative as countries prepare for future public health emergencies and natural disasters. The inclusion of these programmes within a broader security dialogue reflects Africom’s “peace through strength” approach to regional stability.
As Namibia balances internal development with external security challenges — including trafficking – these joint efforts offer both countries practical and strategic value. They also serve as confidence-building measures that reinforce sovereignty and autonomy, not dependency.
As geopolitical pressures rise on the continent—from global power rivalries to the ripple effects of instability in northern Mozambique, the Sahel, or Somalia—Namibia offers Africom a trusted anchor-partner in southern Africa.
A statement on the visit by U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs, United States Africa Command on July 25, 2025 said: “U.S. Africa Command’s Deputy Commander, Army Lt. Gen. John W. Brennan, and Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement Ambassador Robert Scott traveled to Windhoek, July 21-22, to build upon the partnership between the United States and Namibia.
“The visit underscores AFRICOM’s commitment to addressing shared security interests and working alongside partners to enhance stability in the region.
“Lt. Gen. Brennan and Ambassador Scott engaged with Namibia’s Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Frans Kapofi. The leaders discussed regional security concerns, joint training opportunities, maritime domain awareness, and efforts to counter wildlife and timber trafficking.”
“Namibia plays an important role as an anchor for fostering stability in southern Africa,” said Brennan. “I appreciate Minister Kapofi’s willingness to meet this week. Our two nations’ ongoing collaboration reflects a shared commitment to addressing complex challenges in the region and advancing areas of mutual interests. We look forward to working with Namibia to develop new avenues of cooperation in the future.”
“U.S. Africa Command is dedicated to forging strong partnerships with African nations like Namibia who are directly contributing to security, stability, and prosperity in the region,” said Scott. “From participating in maritime security events to collaborating on vital projects like building field hospitals and countering wildlife trafficking and other transnational threats, we are finding common ground with Namibia.”
The statement added: “AFRICOM and Namibia have traditionally partnered in areas such as enhancing the country’s health infrastructure, stemming wildlife trafficking, and expanding trade and development opportunities. Additionally in 2025, Namibia observed AFRICOM’s maritime security exercise Obangame Express and participated in the African Maritime Forces Summit. Both events bring militaries together to enhance joint readiness and foster opportunities for African nations to collectively safeguard their coastlines.
“AFRICOM is one of seven U.S. geographic combatant commands, responsible for military engagement across 53 African nations. Working with partners and allies, the command counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, strengthens African security forces, and supports U.S. government efforts in Africa to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.”
Written with additional reporting from defenceWeb
