Africa-Press – Namibia. Namibia continues to grapple with persistent threats of unemployment, poverty and inequality, undermining human dignity and threatening social security.
This was highlighted by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the launch of the Namibia Public-Private Forum yesterday.
She said unemployment, poverty and inequality remain Namibia’s great tests since independence, with the country ranked as one of the highest unequal countries.
She said the government needs to collaborate and work together with the private sector to tackle these challenges. In 2024, Cabinet proposed a decision to establish the Namibia Public-Private Forum to ensure closer collaboration between the public and private sectors.
The forum aims to facilitate dialogue between the public and private sectors in the economic development of Namibia to serve its people better.
Nandi-Ndaitwah affirmed the government’s commitment to work with the private sector to provide quality service to the nation.
“The government needs you. I need you. Namibia needs you. Let us work together to confront the challenges that stand between us and prosperity,” she said.
She added that creating a platform where the government and private sector can work and put ideas together strengthens collaboration, inclusivity and trust between stakeholders.
Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board chief executive Nangula Uaandja says many Namibians went to bed without a meal last night, adding that about 400 000 unemployed people have given up looking for jobs.
She says Namibia’s unemployment rate is 36% when measured narrowly, but that the broad definition pushed the figure to more than 60%.
She says collaboration, where some have resources, others have policies and others possess ideas, can create a better economy, adding that an economy cannot grow if everyone is doing their own work.
“We need to work together. We need to be solution-oriented, focused, build trust and accelerate implementation,” she says.
Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Titus Nampala says many have lost faith in the belief that partnerships can deliver. He says Namibia has a large pool of unemployed people, idle infrastructure, a public debt burden and an economy that is not growing at the pace it should.
Meanwhile, Ombu Capital founder Vetumbuavi Mungunda says most unemployed young people in Namibia have junior secondary qualifications. He says these people should be considered first, because this number of young people is more than those with degrees.
“We do not need people from universities, but rather junior secondaries,” he says.
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