Windhoek
All Namibians – including taxi and bus drivers, hotel and shop attendants, tour operators, police officers, civil servants as well as immigration and customs officials – have to be patriotic and professional in conducting their business, as this shapes the country’s image internationally.
This was said by international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during a session of the Namibia Foreign Policy Review Conference in Windhoek yesterday. She spoke during a session dealing with the country’s image in the international arena.
She was joined by former National Assembly Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab and business personality and founder member of Team Namibia, Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, for a panel discussion on the subject.
“As a person living in Namibia, you need to brand-market this country that you love so much, so that you also become a contributor to poverty eradication…. The general behaviour of the population is critical for the image of the country,” Nandi-Ndaitwah explained.
“So when you are visiting, whether you are attending a conference, or on a private visit or whether you are a student, wherever you are in touch with people, you are also branding the country,” she said.
“I had a serious problem with tour operators when I was at the ministry of environment, especially when you promoted the upcoming role players.”
She said: “For example, when a group of 20 tourists decide they are coming to visit Namibia, they pay their money from that side but when they arrive here at the airport the operator is not there.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah also said civil servants who take long to respond to requests, queries and applications from the general public and visitors create a bad image, adding that the manner in which the police do their job leaves an impression with those visiting too.
“No investor can bring his or her money to a country with a small population like Namibia if crime is the order of the day, or if there is no political peace and stability, poor service and an unstable labour force.”
She stressed that tourism is an important industry and tourists leave their countries to enjoy and rest in peace when they visit other places.
“Therefore, violent people are the enemies of the tourism industry and foreign direct investment in general.”
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, diplomacy is defined as the profession, activity or skill of managing international relations.
“Traditionally, such activity was more confined to those representing their country in other countries … but people have [now] become role players in diplomatic practice and international relations management.”
“Civil society, business people and tourists are managing international relations, one way or the other.”
She noted that among these groups there are those who have contacts at the highest level of national decision-making and it is through these contacts that they influence decisions related to links between states.
“How you act when you are outside the country when you are meeting potential investors, potential tourists, you are already marketing Namibia because that is your product.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah also said the media is a role player in shaping the image of the country as it is not uncommon for countries to engage media houses to brand countries.
“Even these event organisers. Why do I have to contract an event organiser? It is because you want an image to be created.” She said this would result in a successful event and a positive impression on those attending the event.
The minister added that what a person gets at information desks at Namibia’s foreign missions and at the ticket offices of Air Namibia creates a lasting impression of the country.
She urged the country’s diplomats to ensure that they be better equipped to sell Namibia and market it to outsiders.