Leviev Group eyes more Nam deals

BUSINESSMAN Harold Pupkewitz yesterday urged a visiting business delegation from Israel to set up office in Namibia in order to grow their business in the region and on the continent.

Members of the Africa Israel Investments and Tahal Group are currently on a four-day investment exploration visit to Namibia. Africa Israel Investments and Tahal Group are both member companies of the Lev Leviev group, an international company that already has interests in Namibia through their subsidiary LLD Diamonds, which owns the Samicor offshore mining concern and is setting up one of the biggest diamond cutting factories in Africa in Windhoek.Pinchas Cohen, the CEO of Africa Israel Investments presented his company to local business leaders and said that Namibia and Israel faced many of the same problems due the climate and water scarcity issues, however, “as business people; entrepreneurs: we know how to find answers”.Africa Israel Investments’ activities span building residential communities, property rental and development, construction, infrastructure development and tourism and leisure industry initiatives.Cohen said, having visited numerous ministers and major economic players in the country, Africa Israel was looking at two spheres of local investment.Firstly, bringing vast experience in private-public partnership initiatives, the company is eager to engage Government in mutual beneficiary development projects.He said real estate and communication were the areas where his company was likely to enter into partnership with local businesses first.At least two projects can be expected before the end of this year, he said.Joseph Harush, vice-president and chief engineer at Tahal noted that his company’s extensive experience in water resource management and said that they were specialists in improving drinking water supply.Tahal was instrumental in Israel’s famous agricultural exploits, he said.Handling US$1 billion worth of projects yearly in places like Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Morocco, Botswana, Egypt and South Africa, he said Tahal had selected Namibia as a strategic country.”In Namibia you are facing almost the same problems,” as Tahal faced in Israel, he said adding, “I believe that with our technology, working together, gradually we can move from subsistence farming to export agriculture”.Yaaqov Adir is the representative of Lev Leviev for Namibia and he organised the delegation’s visit along with the Overseas Development Company (ODC) and the Investment Centre in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.Adir said, “this is just a start.”Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hidipo Hamutenya told the delegation, “I know you mean business,” and advised, “local business executive to engage in constructive dialog to explore joint venture partnerships,” with the two Israeli companies.Africa Israel Investments and Tahal Group are both member companies of the Lev Leviev group, an international company that already has interests in Namibia through their subsidiary LLD Diamonds, which owns the Samicor offshore mining concern and is setting up one of the biggest diamond cutting factories in Africa in Windhoek.Pinchas Cohen, the CEO of Africa Israel Investments presented his company to local business leaders and said that Namibia and Israel faced many of the same problems due the climate and water scarcity issues, however, “as business people; entrepreneurs: we know how to find answers”.Africa Israel Investments’ activities span building residential communities, property rental and development, construction, infrastructure development and tourism and leisure industry initiatives.Cohen said, having visited numerous ministers and major economic players in the country, Africa Israel was looking at two spheres of local investment.Firstly, bringing vast experience in private-public partnership initiatives, the company is eager to engage Government in mutual beneficiary development projects.He said real estate and communication were the areas where his company was likely to enter into partnership with local businesses first.At least two projects can be expected before the end of this year, he said.Joseph Harush, vice-president and chief engineer at Tahal noted that his company’s extensive experience in water resource management and said that they were specialists in improving drinking water supply.Tahal was instrumental in Israel’s famous agricultural exploits, he said.Handling US$1 billion worth of projects yearly in places like Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Morocco, Botswana, Egypt and South Africa, he said Tahal had selected Namibia as a strategic country.”In Namibia you are facing almost the same problems,” as Tahal faced in Israel, he said adding, “I believe that with our technology, working together, gradually we can move from subsistence farming to export agriculture”.Yaaqov Adir is the representative of Lev Leviev for Namibia and he organised the delegation’s visit along with the Overseas Development Company (ODC) and the Investment Centre in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.Adir said, “this is just a start.”Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hidipo Hamutenya told the delegation, “I know you mean business,” and advised, “local business executive to engage in constructive dialog to explore joint venture partnerships,” with the two Israeli companies.