Staff Reporter
Three months after joining 191 other nations as a participant at the Expo 2020 Dubai hosted in the United Arab Emirates, Namibia is well on her way to achieving ambitious goals set for the expo.
This is according to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), as the national investment promotion agency and custodian of the Namibian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Located in the Opportunity district at the expo, the Namibian Pavilion continues to shine a light on the country’s unique investment opportunities, highlighting priority sectors such as renewable energy, marine diamonds & mining, tourism & conservation, and cultural heritage.
“While we acknowledge that the current travel restrictions have stifled some of our plans, we have found a solution to this challenge by leveraging technology to ensure that all investment promotion activities continue as planned. The NIPDB has the mammoth responsibility to ensure a return on the government’s investment into this expo. As such, the board remains committed to carrying out this assignment to ensure that the outcomes of the country’s participation at the expo positively contribute towards ensuring economic prosperity for all Namibians,” stated NIPDB spokesperson, Catherine Shipushu.
She continued that the expo offers a wealth of opportunities for Namibia to galvanise investment opportunities and explore areas of economic cooperation for mutual benefit with other participating nations.
“The country is also benefiting in the area of knowledge transfer, particularly in terms of technological innovations and other sustainable solutions to economic progression. Essentially, successful participation in the expo provides an opportunity to improve economic complexity through lucrative investment opportunities that will secure long-term benefits such as tourist attraction, job creation and sustainable economic diversification, amongst others. Further to that, investment leads generated at the expo, once concluded, will play a vital role in rebuilding the Namibian economy in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and a sustained contraction over the past few years,” said Shipushu in a statement.
She added that to date, a total of 123 investment leads were generated, which is well above the targeted 10 leads a month. Most investor interests were in the area of Green Hydrogen. Also, recorded leads indicate investor interest in other key industries such as agriculture, education, tourism, and various trade activities. In terms of country of origin, over 50% of potential investors emanate from the United Arab Emirates, with less than 10% of African origin.
“The highlight of the expo so far is the highly successful Namibia Renewable Energy Summit hosted in November 2021, attended by participants from all over the globe and potential investors from China, India, Zimbabwe, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The summit was organised with the objective of showcasing investment opportunities in the renewable energy space and to provide insight into the legal framework that governs investment in the Namibian energy sector,” Shipushu explained.
Upcoming events
In March, Namibia is expected to celebrate its biggest month yet at the expo. With less than two months before the expo concludes, the Namibian Pavilion has put together a schedule packed with events to coincide with the expo’s thematic weeks and aligned to the country’s own strategic agenda.
The Namibian Pavilion will host the following events over the next two months. All events will be streamed on the Namibia Expo and NIPDB social media platforms.
Tourism Focus: February 2022
The first two weeks in February are dedicated to tourism, showcasing the Namibian travel experience and positioning the country as a globally competitive holiday destination.
Mining and diamond mining:
14 to 28 February 2022
Various activities are lined up to showcase the opportunities in the mining sector including events curated to shine a light on Namibia’s diamond industry, share the Namibian diamond story and in particular “the Good Diamonds Do” in Namibia.
Namibia investment conference: 23 March 2022
The Namibia Investment Conference is envisaged to be the climax event of the country’s Expo 2020 Dubai journey and will be one of the final pitches on investment opportunities, brand awareness and export promotion.
Namibia national day:
24 March 2022
All participating countries are accorded an opportunity to celebrate their national day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Namibia’s national day will be celebrated on 24 March 2022. Part of the celebrations will include a tour of the Namibian and UAE Pavilions, respectively, a parade and performances to showcase Namibia’s unique culture.
Namibian braai in Dubai:
24 March 2022
Featuring Namibian cuisine, beverages and music, this multi-sensory event will be a vibrant showcase of Namibia’s cultural heritage on the global stage.
The expo has also put together key events in March where high ranking Namibian officials are expected to participate. More information on these and the above-mentioned events will be shared at a later
stage.