Maria David
THE application process for the Equipment Aid Scheme (EAS) by the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development is currently ongoing.
This was revealed by Deputy Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Verna Sinimbo, during a breakfast meeting for the Copper Festival on Friday.
According to Sinimbo, the deadline has been extended to 31 October 2024.
“Our EAS is aimed at providing our entrepreneurs with productive technology, while our Industrial Upgrading and Modernisation Program (IUMP) is not only geared towards the provision of technology but also to capacitate our business community with business management skills,” she said.
Further, Sinimbo indicated that their ministry has established an online import and export permit application system to enable people to apply for their permits online, without having to courier their applications or travel to Windhoek for permit processing.
She explained that the system can be accessed anywhere in the world, and digitally signed permits are immediately made available on the client’s dashboard for customs declaration.
Moreover, she indicated that the ministry has a market research and product development sub-division tasked with assisting entrepreneurs in finding markets for their products, as well as providing technical assistance to ensure their products are competitive.
Sinimbo stressed that they continue to negotiate preferential market access for their products to ensure that import duties in export markets are eliminated or reduced, thus enhancing the competitiveness of their products.
