Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu has urged Namibians to support local businesses as their goal is to create a thriving local economy by maximising potential, increasing their market share, and creating an environment for Namibia to become self-sustaining.
Iipumbu made these remarks on Monday during the presentation of the activities for the second phase of the Buy Local, Grow Namibia campaign in the capital.
The platform was a continuation of activities that began with the launch of the second phase of the campaign, which was held in Rundu, Kavango East, in May this year.
The campaign, according to the minister, aims to assist Namibian businesses in understanding various standards and requirements in order to shelve their products in local retail shops while promoting their products and services, as well as encourage Namibians to support their community by purchasing locally.
“We have all witnessed the devastation caused by the pandemic, both personally and to our businesses, which has resulted in a decline in our economic activities as well as loss of income and jobs. Let us therefore take pride in supporting our local businesses, including our MSMEs, who have faced challenges in accessing markets for their products over the years,” she said.
She stated that the reality on the ground is that foreign imports dominate the local market and that local producers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs find it difficult to access retail shelf space for a variety of reasons.
“Some we are attempting to address through these initiatives, and some of the challenges relate to quality standards, access to finance and distributions challenges,” Iipumbu added.
Through a multi-stakeholder partnership, the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade will continue to advocate for Growth at Home, with a specific focus on promoting consumption of what is produced and finding market space for local produce, she promised.
Sen Pang, the UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, said that as the world faces the unprecedented threat of COVID-19 which has disrupted billions of lives, upended the global economy, and is the greatest global security threat in the world today, Namibians must fully leverage their collaborative advantage to deliver solutions to help the economy recover and achieve Vision 2030.
“This campaign directly supports a more sustainable and equitable economic recovery while adhering to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is what the decade of action is all about: mobilising everyone, everywhere, to make a small change to help achieve Vision 2030,” he highlighted.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
