NAMIBIA must aim at becoming self-reliant in food production so as to feed its own people, President Sam Nujoma has told Namibians in his annually televised New Year message.
Any country that depended on others for food would always lag behind in its socio-economic development, the President counselled viewers. He pledged that in 2004 Namibia would continue to pursue its principles of economic diplomacy which he said was the core of Namibia’s foreign policy.Nujoma said Namibia would strengthen its efforts to promote trade, to secure investments and to strive for favourable conditions to market its products to other countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and to other parts of the world.He called on SADC member countries to promote and maintain peace and security in the entire region, with flow-on effects to Africa as a whole.In reflecting on Namibia’s achievements in 2003, President Nujoma emphasised landmark pieces of legislation which he said would have a positive impact on Namibian society .The President specified in this context the Anti-corruption Bill, Geneva Conventions Bill, Teachers Education College Bill and Agriculture (Commercial) Land Reform Amendment Bill.Nujoma said his Government had pushed for collective agreement on minimum wages in the agricultural sector, had issued a White Paper on Namibia’s foreign policy, implemented a national HIV-AIDS policy for the education sector and introduced a programme on Access to Tertiary Institutions for the Visually Impaired.Other important policy decisions made included the implementation of the land tax on commercial agricultural land, the envisaged establishment of a pharmaceutical plant in Namibia, and the launching of the Green Scheme.With regard to law enforcement, President Nujoma expressed Government’s happiness with the major victories scored by the Namibian Police in its fight against crime by arresting scores of criminals and foiling criminal plots that could have undermined the generation of wealth and the people’s march towards prosperity.He pledged that in 2004 Namibia would continue to pursue its principles of economic diplomacy which he said was the core of Namibia’s foreign policy. Nujoma said Namibia would strengthen its efforts to promote trade, to secure investments and to strive for favourable conditions to market its products to other countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and to other parts of the world. He called on SADC member countries to promote and maintain peace and security in the entire region, with flow-on effects to Africa as a whole. In reflecting on Namibia’s achievements in 2003, President Nujoma emphasised landmark pieces of legislation which he said would have a positive impact on Namibian society . The President specified in this context the Anti-corruption Bill, Geneva Conventions Bill, Teachers Education College Bill and Agriculture (Commercial) Land Reform Amendment Bill. Nujoma said his Government had pushed for collective agreement on minimum wages in the agricultural sector, had issued a White Paper on Namibia’s foreign policy, implemented a national HIV-AIDS policy for the education sector and introduced a programme on Access to Tertiary Institutions for the Visually Impaired. Other important policy decisions made included the implementation of the land tax on commercial agricultural land, the envisaged establishment of a pharmaceutical plant in Namibia, and the launching of the Green Scheme. With regard to law enforcement, President Nujoma expressed Government’s happiness with the major victories scored by the Namibian Police in its fight against crime by arresting scores of criminals and foiling criminal plots that could have undermined the generation of wealth and the people’s march towards prosperity.
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