Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK – To reciprocate the good gesture of the Indonesian people, Namibia will exempt visa requirements for citizens of that country visiting Namibia, President Hage Geingob has said.
Geingob, who is in Indonesia by the invitation of that country’s President Joko Widodo, announced this during a meeting with the Indonesian business community in Jakarta yesterday.
He told the business community that there remain ample opportunities for Namibia to expand its trade, investment and economic cooperation relationship with the large Indonesian economy, especially in the sector of agriculture, fisheries, tourism, minerals and energy and information communication technology.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has the largest economy in Southeast Asia and is one of the emerging market economies of the world.
Historically, Geingob said, Indonesia imports Namibia zinc concentrate, while Namibia imports, among others, agricultural products and rubber materials from Indonesia.
He said the trade between Indonesia and Namibia remains very low and there is need to increase and diversify trade and investment between the two countries.
Geingob said during the bilateral talks with Widodo the two countries will endeavor to explore opportunities in the sector of agriculture, fisheries, tourism and infrastructure development.
“Although anti-globalisation sentiment and protectionist rhetoric seems to be permeating the current global political climate, we remain positive that through our political commitment to promote greater South-to-South cooperation, we will deliver on the promise of growth and better quality of life for our people,” he said.
Geingob says this will require the free movement of people between the two countries, so as to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
He further emphasised that investment and trade must be balanced and inclusive, to be sustainable.
Geingob said he recognises that for business, the triple bottom line is secured investment and sustainable profit.
For government however, Geingob said the triple bottom line translates into maintaining peace, stability, social cohesion and unity.
“That is our social return. That is our profit. This underscores the inter-dependent relationship between the public and the private sector,” said Geingob.