France is planning to expand trade with Southern African countries, including Namibia, through increased investments in mining, information technology power transmission, tourism, cement manufacturing and oil refineries, head of economic services for Southern Africa and Indian Ocean, Yves de Ricaud, told the Economist this week.

France's annual trade with the region amounts to about €7 billion, de Ricaud said. He said the push towards increased trade with the region is part of France's plans to increase trade with Anglophone countries in Africa.
“We already have got a strong presence in French speaking countries in Africa. We are now trying to push into English speaking countries,” he said.
In Namibia, France is interested in helping Namibia develop the Kudu Gas Project using French technology, he said.
De Ricaud said with French firm Areva planning to acquire UraMin, Namibian uranium exports to France are likely to increase.
UraMin is trying to develop uranium mine in Namibia. UraMin’s proposed mine at Trekkopje will make a substantial contribution to economic development in Namibia as a whole and specifically to the Erongo Region where the operation will be located.
He said the French cement firm Lafranz, which already has operations in South Africa, Malawi and Zambia is planning to venture into other countries of the region. De Ricaud said other French companies including oil company, Total, hotel group Accor and road construction company Colas are planning to increase their investment in the region.