In an effort to accelerate and strengthen commercial ties between Namibia and Angola, international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will soon lead a delegation of businesspeople to the neighbouring country in search of business or trade opportunities.
The minister revealed this yesterday during the 14th Theo-Ben Gurirab lecture series themed: ‘Katima Mulilo, a Gateway to SADC: Unlocking the Economic Potential of the Zambezi Region”.
She said the international relations ministry, through its active economic diplomacy, will continue to facilitate trade missions and assist Namibian businesses to take full advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to access markets.
“AfCFTA is operational. It is encouraging entrepreneurs to develop Africa. Trade between African countries is highly encouraged. One such mission is the visit that I will undertake to Angola in the next few days, and I hope and believe that entrepreneurs from the Zambezi region have signed up to join me during that visit,” she added.
She clarified that it is an open invitation for every business person in Namibia to register in order to join the delegation and unleash their business opportunities with their Angolan counterparts.
“We are not going to beg. We are going as partners. You need to be very clear on what you need to tell your counterparts. You must have your own package. You must know what you want. It’s always a win-win situation. If you don’t have an agenda, you will serve other people’s agenda,” she advised the businesspeople.
The AfCFTA agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019, and Namibia is one of the countries that already ratified the agreement.
It is one of the flagship projects of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which has the potential to increase access to a market across Africa, with a combined GDP of 3.4 trillion US dollars. The establishment of the AfCFTA will present an excess of opportunities for inter-African trade, which Namibia can tap into.
Therefore, the minister believes that the Zambezi region, though far away from the rest of the country, but which borders Zambia and Botswana and lies close to the Zimbabwe border, should tap into the market opportunities in those neighbouring countries.
Entrepreneurs are, therefore, encouraged to be innovative and search for business or trade opportunities beyond borders.
She emphasised wealth-creation, saying Africa is focusing on youth (Namibia included) to bring sustainable development for the implementation of Agenda 2063.
“We need to develop this continent. No one is going to do it. We have to do it ourselves,” the minister stressed.
She gave the assurance that the Namibian government has taken serious steps to promote food production and tourism, and will continue to ensure the existence of a conducive environment for SMEs and farmers to grow and expand.
–anakale@nepc.com.na