By Catherine Sasman
ONGWEDIVA
The Limpopo Province, a northern region of South Africa, will sign memorandums of understanding with Namibia’s Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshikoto and Oshana regions in October, bringing about increased regional trade.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Bernard Esau, will spell out a broad framework and regular participation, particularly in the mining, agri-business, manufacturing and tourism sectors.
The October national investment conference will, however, bring together business people from all provinces of South Africa and Namibia.
Participating for the second time at the Ongwediva Trade Fair as a province with businesses exhibiting their goods and products to Namibia, Collin Chabane, the Limpopo Provincial Minister for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, said the province is desirous to formalise socio-economic relationships between the regions.
Limpopo’s primary aim of participation at the trade fair, said Chabane, is to promote trade relations with Namibia within the context of NEPAD, SADC regional integration and his region’s growth and development strategy.
The MoUs are also a result of the outcomes of the ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Accra this year that has called for the rationalisation and strengthening of the regional economic communities and harmonisation of their activities towards the creation of the continent’s markets.
African leaders similarly agreed to speed up the stages set in the Abuja Treaty for the establishment of the African Economic Community with a reviewed timeframe to accelerate economic and political integration.
The June SADC Cooperation Integrated Committee aimed at reflecting on how the region has progressed in its mission to unite the people of member states.
“Due to Namibia’s competitiveness and strength in the tanning and taxidermy industries, we found it compelling for enterprise development in Limpopo along the lines of leather and processing technology and establishment of enterprises and cooperatives in this regard for innovative job creation and export-led poverty reduction programmes,” said Chabane.
He said although there is strong competition from countries like China, France, Germany, Italy and India, there are still opportunities for Limpopo companies to grow its regional export markets.
“There is a need for quality products in Africa. There is also a huge interest for amarula, avocado, aloe, and macadamia nuts due to their uniqueness,” he said.
Limpopo Province is also gearing itself for the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and will host four of the world soccer games, and has invited neighbouring countries to position themselves to reap maximum benefit from this global event.