500 delegates expected at investment meet

AN international investor conference organised by Namibia and South Africa for the end of this month will present about 70 projects to international investors, according to the Trade and Industry Minister.

Briefing the media last week on the preparations for the two-day event, which will be jointly chaired by South African President Thabo Mbeki and President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko said Namibia wanted to showcase investment projects in the mining, energy, manufacturing and agri-business sectors. “Other sectors like information technology, transport an infrastructure and tourism are also on the list,” Ngatjizeko said.”The conference on October 31 will be addressed by international experts and there will also be opportunities for business-to-business matching and networking.In addition, an exhibition involving all 13 regions of Namibia will be held.We expect about 500 delegates to attend.”Namibia could not afford to insulate itself from the word economy, Ngatjizeko added.”We need to attract international capital if we are to make Namibia a competitive nation ready to do business.There are dynamic developments at global and regional fronts, including deeper regional integration and the planned customs union of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).”The second pillar of the conference is the Walvis Bay Spatial Development Initiative (WBSDI).The port of Walvis Bay and the transport routes through Namibia, like the Trans-Kalahari Highway traversing Botswana to Gauteng Province in South Africa, are part of a regional transport corridor, which links to the harbour of Maputo in Mozambique.The aim is to shorten the transport routes for goods instead of all goods being shipped around the South African coastline, where most harbours like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban are already congested.This corridor requires more investment in infrastructure, such as deepening Walvis Bay harbour to allow bigger ships to moor.Some of the projects can be viewed on a website specially created for the conference at www.investnamibiaconference.com.”Other sectors like information technology, transport an infrastructure and tourism are also on the list,” Ngatjizeko said.”The conference on October 31 will be addressed by international experts and there will also be opportunities for business-to-business matching and networking.In addition, an exhibition involving all 13 regions of Namibia will be held.We expect about 500 delegates to attend.”Namibia could not afford to insulate itself from the word economy, Ngatjizeko added.”We need to attract international capital if we are to make Namibia a competitive nation ready to do business.There are dynamic developments at global and regional fronts, including deeper regional integration and the planned customs union of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).”The second pillar of the conference is the Walvis Bay Spatial Development Initiative (WBSDI).The port of Walvis Bay and the transport routes through Namibia, like the Trans-Kalahari Highway traversing Botswana to Gauteng Province in South Africa, are part of a regional transport corridor, which links to the harbour of Maputo in Mozambique.The aim is to shorten the transport routes for goods instead of all goods being shipped around the South African coastline, where most harbours like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban are already congested.This corridor requires more investment in infrastructure, such as deepening Walvis Bay harbour to allow bigger ships to moor.Some of the projects can be viewed on a website specially created for the conference at www.investnamibiaconference.com.