Namibians should unite to develop positive solutions toward economic recovery, sustainable development and shared prosperity, President Hage Geingob has said.
Opening the 21st edition of the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) on Sunday under the theme ‘Gearing towards smart economy’ Geingob said the global economic difficulties the country has faced calls for government, private sector, labour unions and civil society to work together to develop positive solutions that will enable the economy to become more robust and resistant to external shocks in future.
He said as Namibia gears towards positioning itself to adopt the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) concept, the government has prioritised agriculture, health, finance, defence and education sectors to increase production, create new jobs and ensure food security through technological transformation.
“Moving forward, Namibia’s success can only be guaranteed through sacrifice, hard work and most importantly, unity. As we develop our blueprint for moving forward post Covid-19, let us all realize that if we plan together, think together and work together, we will achieve success as One Namibia, One Nation,” he said.
Geingob noted that the 4IR Taskforce, appointed on 01 July last year, has been working jointly with the World Economic Forum to develop a 4IR Policy and Legislative toolkit for use to ensure that Namibia’s policy and legislative instruments are 4IR compliant and “Future –Proof,” given the rapidly advancing nature of these modern technologies.
Government and the private sector, he said should therefore work together in order to promote technological transformation in the local economy and work on ways to combine digital transformation with innovation and talent competitiveness to improve Namibia’s readiness for the 4IR.
It is commendable that the OATF has this year, attracted over 350 local and international exhibitors which indicates a fair number of active economic sectors in the country, he said, stressing that: “Government’s overall goal remains to achieve our long-term vision, that of an industrialised nation developed by her human resources, with a healthy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.”
The trade fair which commenced on Friday ends 01 September 2022.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
