Africa-Press – Namibia. INTERNATIONAL relations and cooperation minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says if Africa continues the culture of exporting raw materials without value addition, then the continent is exporting African jobs to other countries.
Nandi-Nadaitwah was speaking yesterday during the discover Namibia intra-Africa expo and business summit, hosted by the Africa Economic Leadership Council at Swakopmund.
She said this leaves African youths in poverty, forcing them to risk their lives on the high seas, running after jobs where they will be labelled as illegal immigrants.
“The time has come for African young people to leave the continent as a choice and not to be driven out by poverty,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said although Africa is part of the global village, and will remain open for business, Africans have to take the lead for the vision of their leaders to be realised.
“We are looking for an Africa that is competitive in all areas of development, including in pharmaceuticals and global food security systems, as well as an Africa that is prosperous while free from crime and poverty,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement ( AfCFTA) is a sign that it is serious about the transformation of African economies to increase productivity and efficiencies as well as the diversification of the competitiveness of African industries.
“Once the full implementation of the AfCFTA is realised, we will be able to position Africa to move away from dependency on foreign imports to become an industrialised continent,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said it is time for young people, both male and female, to be focused and proactive in economic development for the political independence that Namibia has achieved to be matched with economic emancipation.
“That is why in Namibia, in passing our foreign policy, we are guided by our stance of economic diplomacy.
“Therefore, our young people must develop interest to participate in all sectors of our economy, especially the emerging sectors and opportunities coming from Namibia’s plans to develop a green hydrogen plant and in the oil as well as the gas industry with the recent discovery of oil in Namibia,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah added that the youth should be on the lookout for these opportunities. She said other industries that have a great impact on the continent’s industrialisation and creation of sustainable jobs are agriculture and tourism, complemented by technology.
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