STAFF WRITER
About 26 international exhibitors participated at the ongoing annual Ongwediva Trade Fair.
Speaking at the official opening of the expo , President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah lauded organisers for improving participation of women and youths.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the trade fair attracted 450 exhibitors including 26 international exhibitors from countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Botswana, and South Africa.
“It is gratifying to learn that 70% of this year’s exhibitors are women, and 60% are youth. These are not just figures, but this is an empowerment that this Trade Fair has for our women and young people in shaping our economic future. Therefore, I applaud women and young people for their entrepreneurial spirit, courage, creativity, and innovation,” she said.
The President said growth at the trade fair underscores the potential of other trade fairs and exhibitions across the country to attract international exhibitors to promote regional and continental integrations in alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“I am pleased to note that this Trade Fair will host Business-to-Business (B2B) matchmaking sessions aimed at knowledge exchange, benchmarking and sharing of best practices between South African and Namibian businesspeople.
“Therefore, the ideas that will come out of this engagement must translate into tangible results for a shared development. I am also confident that through the participation of all our international exhibitors at this Fair, people-to-people contact, trade and valuable exchanges will be strengthened and will lead to broadening our economic landscape,” she said.
Nandi-Nfdaitwah bemoaned recurrent problems experienced in the continent to enhance trade including infrastructure gaps such as transport both on land, water and air.
“… It is therefore important for governments or public and private sectors and business people to work together to provide appropriate investment in the continental infrastructure development. As that is the only way Africa can realize the aspirations of the African people as articulated in the AU Agenda 2063,” she said.
She said Namibia has made significant achievements in road transport infrastructure to connect with neighbours.
“However, a lot has to be done on the rail network and air services sectors. All efforts will be done in the improvement of our rail and the reintroduction of a national airline.
“ With the discovery of oil and gas in Namibia, and other critical minerals it is essential that moving forward, these sectors should participate in the Namibian expos or trade fairs for our people to understand different services that are required. To enable Namibia to participate in the oil and gas and critical minerals by providing the necessary services. In other words, to ensure the effectiveness of the local content among others,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
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