ONGWEDIVA – The chairman of the northern branch of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Tomas Iindji has urged Namibian and Angolan business people to form joint ventures in order to increase cross-border trade between the two countries.
During a recent meeting at Ongwediva, he suggested members of Namibian and Angolan business communities should form joint ventures as tools to access markets in both countries. According to Iindji despite many efforts on both sides, cross-border trade has not yet reached its full potential. “In 2011 the Bank of Namibia carried out a study to examine key limitations to trade between Namibia and Angola, focusing in particular on payment and currency issues, including the shortage of the US dollar in Angola; Namibian policy that limits the amount of money brought into the country by Angolan citizens; restrictive and non-corresponding banking systems between Namibia and Angola, as well as banking institutions in Namibia that are of South African origin,” Iindji said. Members of NCCI’s northern branch executive committee, as well as the Angolan Consul in Namibia Francisco Correia, recently held a meeting in Ongwediva, intended to revitalize trade between the two countries.
Correia assured northern business people of his full support and invited them to knock on his door at the Angolan Consulate in Oshakati if they needed any support related to conducting business in Angola. He welcomed Namibian private sector engagement in the economic development of Angola and encouraged Namibian businesses to take advantage of the ample business opportunities existing in Angola, in the areas of agricultural production and processing, local and regional transportation, civil engineering, education and health services.
He said the Angolan Consulate is prepared to support Namibian investors in their endeavours and appealed to them to visit Angola in order to explore its great economic opportunities. The most recent meeting followed three other meetings held in June, May and February this year in Ondjiva, Angola and Helao Nafidi respectively. A number of issues, including the use of the U.S. dollar in Angola, trade tariffs, clearance processes on exported items, crime, the abolishment of the export allowance, as well as business visas and other pertinent issues germane to the conduct of business in Angola were discussed during the meetings.
By Helvy Shaanika