Marythar Kambinda
KATIMA MULILO – The Namibia Standards Institution (NSI) held a business seminar in Katima Mulilo last Thursday. The purpose of the seminar was to provide businesses with in-depth information on the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) notification procedure and TBT enquiry point.
The seminar aims to increase awareness among business stakeholders on how they can make the most use of the e-ping, the National TBT Enquiry Point and Trade Metrology ACT and Regulation.
Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu stated that the engagement was a timely intervention to the business community of the Zambezi region.
“Various businesses, including small and medium enterprises continue to devise measures to resuscitate their entities from the negative impact experienced at the hype of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Sampofu.
Among the attendees was Katima Mulilo Town Council chairperson of management committee John Ntemwa, who read the deputy mayor Lasken Sikosi’s speech.
Ntemwa noted that the key objective of the technical barriers to trade (TBT) notification procedure is to inform other stakeholders about legislative proposals that might have a significant impact on trade, in order to provide them with the opportunity to submit comments on the proposal before it is finalised.
He further stated that the significance of technical barriers to trade has increased considerably over the past years, as tariffs steadily decline and governments worldwide introduce more and more regulatory requirements to address inter alia health, safety or environmental concerns.
“The TBT agreement is, therefore, an important tool with which all the involved stakeholders can use to tackle technical barriers to trade and address requirements,” he
said.
Jekonia Haufiku from NSI during the engagement said when one is trading with others, whether inside or outside the country, there are technical regulations for your product to go out, which will include standards, testing, metrology, inspections and so on.
He said that this fall under standards certification metrology, which is found in every country.
“Without that in place, there will be no business transactions,” said Haufiku.