Windhoek
The Namibia Manufacturers Association and the Namibian Trade Forum entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of mutual collaboration to facilitate public-private dialogue and cooperation for a conducive business environment.
The focus is on realising the industrialisation objectives set out in the National Developmental Plans and the Growth at Home Strategy. The MoU was signed by Brian Black, chairperson of NMA, and Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NTF.
Under the terms of the MoU, cooperation will include – but will not be limited to – partnership on retail charter development and export promotion, data sharing for policy formulation, regular, reciprocal feedback and involvement, as well as expertise sharing.
The two parties noted that the MoU is signed on the basis of mutual respect and in a spirit of goodwill. This essentially facilitates a coordinative approach to stimulating manufacturing and local sourcing initiatives, such as the development and monitoring of the Namibian Retail Sector Charter.
Established in 1994, the NMA essentially functions as a representative of Namibian manufacturers, serving as a group in negotiations with government, as well as in promoting Namibian manufactured products. Moreover, the organisation works to develop strategies for deliberations with government and other organisations to promote the development of a conducive environment for manufacturing in Namibia.
Meanwhile, the NTF, which is registered as a Section 21 company (not for profit), is an agency of the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development. Its main objective is to institutionalise public-private dialogue and cooperation, with an emphasis on policies pertaining to industrialisation, international and domestic trade, investment and SME development.