NEW YORK, September 25 — President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on United States investors to support Namibia’s industrialisation agenda by investing in local processing, manufacturing, skills development and technology transfer rather than focusing solely on the extraction of raw materials.
Addressing the Namibia–U.S. Business Forum in New York on Friday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia wants foreign investment to create greater economic value within the country and expand opportunities for local businesses.
“Namibia does not intend to remain an exporter of raw natural resources while importing finished products,” she said, stressing that her government’s central focus is achieving maximum local value addition and beneficiation.
The President identified agriculture, sport, youth empowerment, education and training, creative industries, health and social welfare, and land, housing and sanitation as priority areas for investment.
She said these areas would be supported by key economic sectors including mining, energy, oil and gas, tourism, water, fisheries, and transport and logistics.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, investment in Namibia’s natural resources should contribute to the development of domestic industries, create decent employment and increase the participation of Namibian companies in regional and international value chains.
She also placed strong emphasis on skills and technology transfer, particularly for young Namibians.
“Partnerships with U.S. investors should not be limited to capital investment or resource extraction, but should deliberately develop Namibian technical expertise through training, knowledge transfer, innovation and opportunities for young Namibians,” she said.
The President said Namibia’s economic transformation would depend on developing a skilled workforce capable of supporting emerging industries.
She further described Namibia as a stable and peaceful investment destination, pointing to its rule of law, governance and strategic geographic location as factors that could provide investors with access to regional and international markets.
The business forum forms part of Namibia’s efforts to deepen economic relations with the United States and attract investment across several sectors.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said recent engagements had highlighted opportunities in mining, energy, agriculture and agro-processing, ICT, creative industries, sports and global business services.
She said the government was also finalising the Investment Promotion and Facilitation Bill and the Special Economic Zones Bill, which are expected to strengthen the country’s investment environment once enacted.
The President said the forum provided an opportunity for Namibian and American businesses to establish partnerships, explore investment opportunities and develop commercial ventures.
Through the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), government will continue working with investors to translate identified opportunities into sustainable businesses, she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said she expected the forum to produce tangible investment outcomes that would support Namibia’s industrialisation and economic transformation.
The ultimate objective, she said, is to move Namibia from the extraction and export of raw materials towards an economy that processes its resources locally, manufactures competitive products, develops skills and technology, creates sustainable jobs and retains more value within the country.
