Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Namibian businesses to use the country’s strengthened relationship with China to pursue investment, manufacturing and value-addition opportunities that can create jobs and support economic transformation.
Addressing Namibian business leaders during the Namibia-China Business Forum in Beijing, as part of her State Visit to the People’s Republic of China, Nandi-Ndaitwah urged companies to build strategic partnerships with Chinese counterparts and identify bankable projects that can contribute to industrial development.
The President said Government was committed to working with the private sector to unlock new markets, attract investment, expand exports and ensure that Namibia benefits from increased economic cooperation with China.
Photos: Namibian Presidency
“As you are engaging with your Chinese counterparts, you must emphasise manufacturing. You must emphasise value addition,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said, encouraging businesses to move beyond exporting raw materials and focus on projects that generate greater economic value.
She assured the business delegation that Government would support efforts to establish partnerships with Chinese investors.
“I’m here with the whole Government to help you,” she said, adding that she was prepared to engage directly with potential partners to demonstrate Namibia’s commitment to supporting business cooperation.
The President said the forum represented an opportunity to translate the longstanding political relationship between Namibia and China into tangible economic outcomes, including job creation, investment, skills transfer and industrial development.
She highlighted China’s growing importance as one of Namibia’s key trading partners and welcomed measures expanding market access for African products, including preferential tariff arrangements for qualifying exports.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s focus should be on ensuring that improved market access leads to increased exports of value-added products rather than only raw materials.
She encouraged Namibian producers, manufacturers and exporters to strengthen competitiveness, meet international standards and identify products with demand in the Chinese market.
The President also outlined sectors where Namibia is seeking greater cooperation with China, including agriculture and agro-processing, renewable energy, critical minerals, logistics, digital transformation, education, skills development, healthcare and manufacturing.
She said Namibia’s natural resources, strategic location and access to regional markets through the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) position the country as an attractive investment destination.
On minerals, Nandi-Ndaitwah reiterated that Namibia was seeking partnerships that move beyond extraction towards beneficiation and local processing.
“For too long our mining sector was more on extraction and exporting raw materials. Today Namibia has taken a decision that those investing in Namibia must give priority to value addition,” she said.
She also invited Chinese companies to invest in Namibia’s renewable energy sector, particularly green hydrogen, saying the country’s ambition was not only to generate energy but to develop industries around it.
Meanwhile, Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) Chief Executive Officer Sam Shivute highlighted the importance of compliance with export requirements to benefit from China’s preferential market access.
Shivute said exporters benefiting from zero tariffs must meet requirements such as rules of origin to prove that products qualify as Namibian exports.
He added that NamRA was strengthening cooperation with Chinese technology partners, including efforts to upgrade Namibia’s Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), which was developed by a Chinese company.
Shivute said around 15 Namibian officials would receive fully funded training in China as part of efforts to enhance the system.
He further added that Namibia was exploring cooperation with China on digital transformation and the integration of government systems to improve efficiency and service delivery.
