Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) and the European Union (EU) delegation will co-host an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Trade Forum next week to create awareness on the potential opportunities in the European market for Namibia’s private sector.
The EPA Trade Forum will take place on Monday, 31 October. It will be hosted under the theme “Towards increased and diversified trade under the EPA by ensuring inclusivity, sustainability and economic growth”.
According to the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, the EPA Trade Forum is important because there is a need to connect the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector to overseas buyers, markets and expertise to maximise opportunities offered under the EPA.
The Press and Communication Officer of the EU delegation to Namibia, Twaku Kayofa, explained that an EPA holds the potential for significant market access improvements to the EU for Namibian business operators. However, he said that achieving this potential is contingent on overcoming non-tariff barriers in the form of regulatory requirements and administrative procedures.
“Supply-side constraints of Namibian producers need to be addressed so that they are competitive enough to produce for and enter the EU market. This requires a well-developed and executed EPA Implementation Plan that considers these challenges and aims to maximize the benefits for both importers and exporters in Namibia, as well as the EU,” Kayofa added.
He said that the forum therefore aims to create awareness on EPA and the potential opportunities in the European market for Namibia’s private sector. It also aims to identify how companies can benefit from the EPA and increase exports.
Kayofa revealed that the forum will include a panel discussion about the current state of the EPA, with participation from officials of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-EPA Implementation Unit in Botswana. He added that parallel discussions will be conducted on the Agro Industry and emerging exports as well as a session focusing on trade facilitation and logistics.
“Expertise on topics such as Rules of Origin, cumulation and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures will be roped in to assist in to respond to questions on these topics. Furthermore, MIT and the EU will launch the EPA Implementation Plan at this Forum,” Kayofa added.
Kayofa confirmed that the EPA Trade Forum will be livestreamed on the Delegation of the European Union to Namibia Facebook Page on Monday.
“Namibia’s economic outlook after the Covid-19 pandemic is brighter, therefore we believe the time is opportune to fully utilize the EPA as a lever to accelerate trade, economic growth and more jobs,” the EU ambassador to Namibia, Sinikka Antila, said.
