WINDHOEK – The Chief Executive Officer of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), Johny Smith, yesterday said it is imperative to build capacity within Namibia’s transport and logistics sector, specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises or SMEs. Smith was speaking during the last day of training for SME transporters facilitated by the WBCG and supported by the Embassy of Finland.
The training was aimed at assisting SMEs involved in the transport and logistics sector to gain skills needed to succeed in the international arena; to establish partnerships with international operators, such as companies in Finland, and to support small business growth in Namibia. “It is important for SMEs to also build their human resource capacities, which will in turn result in business growth. Many developed nations have grown their economies due to the development of their SME sectors,” said Smith.
The training allowed SME transporters to become more informed and to gain increased awareness about international trade and taught them how to leverage technology and information services that could improve the efficiency of their trade, as well as provide opportunities to expand their trade. The training was conducted in various sessions as per the needs indicated by the SME transport companies. After the initial training sessions the WBCG accompanied some of the trainees to Helsinki, Finland, on a one-week study tour that included stakeholder meetings on how business is conducted in that country and to establish potential partnerships with their Scandanavian counterparts. Said Smith: “The experience of Finland in the logistics industry through research centres, industry knowledge and academic institutions, added significant value for logistics providers in Namibia.”
According to the Charge d’ Affaires of the Finnish Embassy, Anne Saloranta, growing SMEs within the transport and logistics sectors will result in increased economic growth for Namibia, which ties in to the focus areas of Namibia’s 4th National Development Plan (NDP4). These focus areas are decreasing unemployment, promoting economic growth and decreasing inequality. The WBCG was created in 2000 as a service and facilitation centre to promote imports and exports via the Port of Walvis Bay for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The group’s main strength is its Public Private Partnership (PPP) set-up of transport and logistics stakeholders from both the public and private sector. The set-up allows for the pooling of resources, expertise and authorities from both the regulators and the operators.
By Edgar Brandt