SWAKOPMUND – Natural resources such as fish, fish products, meat and minerals which are primary sources in Namibia should be processed locally to stimulate the country’s economic growth and create much needed sustainable jobs.
This was said by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernard Esau during the opening of the long-awaited Swakopmund International Trade Expo (SWAITEX) on Thursday last week.
The expo, which attracted local and international exhibitors, ended on a high note on Saturday evening at Swakopmund.
The expo was hosted by the Swakopmund branch of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and was created to give small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to showcase their products while networking on both local and international level.
This was the second time the expo took place in Swakopmund. A total of 130 exhibitors took part in this year’s expo. This is a huge improvement from last year’s event, which only attracted 40 exhibitors.
According to Esau, young entrepreneurs should make use of major business opportunities in terms of trading, manufacturing and exporting of fish.
“Our young entrepreneurs should take up such opportunities and in the process create jobs for others, in response to our government addressing developmental objectives,” the minister said.
He also said that in the context of growth at home natural resources such as fish, fish products, meat and minerals should generate the necessary income and in the process alleviate poverty.
“We don’t want to see poverty in Namibia and therefore we must make use of every opportunity that presents itself,” Esau explained.
He urged exhibitors and organisers not just to focus on showcasing and marketing but also on manufacturing as Namibia is rich in natural resources.
He said exhibitors should capitalize on the strategic location of Swakopmund and fully utilize the opportunities that come along with the Trans-Zambezi Corridor that links Walvis Bay port to the rest of SADC.
“This process of unlocking our potential growth should go hand in hand with skills development of our entrepreneurs to exploit and transform our resources into finished goods for domestic consumption as well as export. This highlights the importance of skilled labour and labour productivity. Both can be realised through better education and training and access to technology,” Esau said.
Also speaking at the expo, the chief executive officer of NCCI, Tarah Shaanika, said the primary purpose of the expo was to provide local and international platforms and at the same time showcase investment opportunities for SMEs.