President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will invite a business delegation from China’s southern province of Guangdong to visit Namibia to form partnerships in mining, agriculture and logistics.
“My stay in the Guangdong province thus far has shown me the ability of China to set itself an ambitious development and prosperity objective, and then actually reaching that through hard work, innovation and a keen eye for opportunity,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the Namibia-China business forum in Guangzhou on Monday.
Bringing a delegation of businesspeople with her demonstrates Namibia’s commitment to finding partners and investments on this trip, she said.
The president began her week-long state visit in Guangzhou, the capital of the Guangdong province and a major trade and manufacturing hub.
After her visit, she will invite a Guangdong business delegation to come to Namibia and meet businesses with which they can partner.
“We already have a Guangdong success story. China General Nuclear’s Husab mine has operated profitably for over a decade in Namibia now. They are now partnering with the national water company in a desalination plant,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She said Namibia is open to investments in any sector that promotes industrialisation and value addition within the country.
“For too long, Namibia’s minerals have been extracted and exported as raw materials. The extraction and exportation of raw materials has worked against us. Due to a lack of development and slow economic expansion, many of our people, particularly youth, including those with skills, are unemployed,” she said.
The president will also visit three other Chinese cities on her trip and meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
