The first ever Southern African business magazine, Inside Southern Africa: The Business Magazine for SADC, was officially launched by the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Stanley Simaata, in the capital yesterday.
The monthly magazine is published by NamZim, the publishing and media company established by the Namibian and Zimbabwean governments.
NamZim Newspapers is a joint partnership between New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC), which publishes New Era, and Zimpapers of Zimbabwe.
“NamZim is on course to becoming a key source of information within the region,” said Simaata, adding that the launch of the magazine is a revolution in terms of information sharing.
“I urge all SADC member states and their business communities to buy into this initiative. In business there are those referred to as early movers, that is those organizations and individuals who do not take decisions blindly but are pedantic in making bold and informed decisions,” noted Simaata.
Also speaking at the launch the chairman of Namzim, Tarah Shaanika, who is also the chairman of NEPC, noted that there is very little published about progress being made in the Southern African region.
“We mostly see very negative reporting regarding development in the region. If we are to develop the region then the media has an integral role to play,” said Shaanika.
“We want to see Southern African stories told from a Southern African perspective and we want to see African stories told from an African perspective,” added Shaanika.
The NamZim chairman added that the voice of business is important if the region is to achieve the desired economic growth and to win the war against poverty.
“We need to have business leaders, politicians and academics interrogate the issues that are keeping us going in circles. And for them to speak they need a platform. Inside Southern Africa comes as an answer to that quest for the region’s business and political minds to meet in an arena of harmonious conversation,” said Shaanika.
Simaata encouraged businesses, specifically small and medium enterprises, to take advantage of the magazine’s distribution to all SADC countries.
“Through this magazine your business can be exposed to the 277 million potential customers within the SADC region,” said Simaata.