Africa-Press – Namibia. THE minister of industrialisation and trade, Lucia Iipumbu, says in 2019 she wished to see Namibia exporting beef, charcoal and beer to the United States (US), which has today been realised.
“The wish was for someone sitting in Texas or Philadelphia to enjoy Namibian beef prepared on Namibian charcoal. It would go down well with a glass of Windhoek Lager,” she said at the Namibia-US business forum in Windhoek on Wednesday.
“However, we wish to increase the volumes of Namibian products we are exporting to the US,” she said.
Iipumbu said the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade has identified more priority products to develop and export under phase two of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) utilisation strategy.
These include fish, table grapes, dates, marble, home decor products, medicinal devil’s claw, and cosmetic products.
“The export of these products would particularly boost our small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” she said.
Under Agoa, eligible African countries get duty-free access to the US market.
“Namibia is not only seeking foreign direct investment (FDI), but also market access for our local products by expanding the volume of bilateral trade through the promotion of the country as a gateway,” she said.
“Our ministry and the Namibian business community therefore invite our partners from the US to consider opportunities in agriculture – especially in agro-processing and energy, with special focus on renewable energy and green hydrogen.
“They can also look at manufacturing pharmaceuticals, as well as engaging in the service sectors, such as health provision, telecommunications and logistics,” she said.
Iipumbu said Namibia needs these economic relations and business affiliations to contribute to economic development, which includes technological transfer, skills development, value addition and industrialisation.
“It is also pleasing to note that we enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship in the areas of international trade. According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), Namibia exported goods worth US$72,8 million, and imported goods worth US$168,9 million in 2020,” she said.
Welcoming the delegates, Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua expressed gratitude to the US government for the various support programmes it had provided Namibia with.
These included support to the Ministry of Health and Social Services in the fight against Covid-19, as well as HIV-AIDS through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) initiative, and providing volunteers to work in the education and health sectors in Namibia.
She told the US delegation Namibia has abundant untapped resources, including renewable energy, gas, and oil.
“Namibia is a sleeping economic giant,” she said, adding that the developments at the Walvis Bay harbour has made it a logistics hub suitable for US-Namibia trade.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Nangula Uaandja, highlighted many investment opportunities in the country, including in tourism, and said Namibia is looking for inclusive growth, which also includes labour-intensive growth, to create jobs.
“There is the Kavango-Zambezi (Kaza) conservation area trans-frontier park that encompasses five countries, which could lead to the development of the Katima Mulilo airport to international standards.
“As the first point of contact, the NIPDB will facilitate the fulfilment of public office requirements, like permits, to improve the ease of doing business in Namibia,” Uaandja said.
She said the institution also provides aftercare service to new and existing investors in addition to implementing MSME policies and programmes.
The CEO advised investors not to consider the Namibian population of 2,5 million people as the only market they have, but to also consider the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), with a potential market of 17 million people.
The US chargé d’affaires in Namibia, Jessica Long, said the US delegation was a key part of a shared journey to strengthen the economic relationship between Namibia and the US.
“The charcoal at US braais brings income to the Namibian men and women producing it, and now there is marula oil. We will do the best we can to support the process,” she said.
Long said world-class US companies do not only create jobs, but also provide technology, good labour and business practices and skills transfer.
“Namibia’s economic prosperity depends on its ability to attract investment, and the US business delegation can contribute to prosperity – both here in Namibia and in the US,” she said.
The forum was attended by a delegation from the US that was led by Namibia’s ambassador to America, Margret Mensah-Williams, and included the honorary consul to Namibia in Texas, Robert Braubach.
Also at the forum were Namibia’s regional governors, representatives of various economic sectors, and government officials.
About five SMEs were given the opportunity to exhibit their wares at the venue.
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