AUC urges Nam to take advantage of international opportunities
If Namibia is to optimise the contribution of its natural resources for sustained economic growth and poverty reduction, then the country needs to do a few assignments.
Namibia should take advantage of international opportunities such as working with the International Seabed Authority to acquire sites for prospecting, exploitation and exploration of marine minerals in the international seabed area or beyond our national jurisdiction.
Most African countries are not participating in the prospecting and exploration activities in the African continental shelf and adjacent oceanic areas by African initiatives.
This forms part of the words of advice that the African Union Commission(AUC) gave Namibia on how the country can take advantage of its natural resources.
The AUC's head of division: environment, climate change, water and land management Harsen Nyambe last week Wednesday said Namibia should also take advantage African Union initiatives such as the Free Trade Area and Single Air Market.
He was speaking at the second Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture held at the José Eduardo dos Santos (UNAM) Campus, in Ongwediva last week Wednesday.
The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation- hosted event was under the theme :“Optimising of Namibia's natural resources for sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty.”
“It is a fact that Namibia is endowed with plenty natural resources and we know that in Africa resources can be either a blessing or a curse depending on a myriad of factors. It is also true that untapped natural resources are as good as having no resources at all,” he said.
He also urged the country to create an enabling environment by putting in place legislation that attract investments into the sector, empowerment and participation. “not the same people who own shares in fisheries to be in mining and in all boards,” he said.
“Let scholarships be made available to talented students or those with potential and let the government identify critical fields for support for example, I doubt whether the food donated to Namibia during times of need is even tested for various reasons,” he further said.
He also called for the promotion of domestic resource mobilisation including private sector for investment in natural resources, promotion of the country on the global scale.
“African Union Commission stands ready to support Namibia in natural resources management, broader environment including climate change and development of investment plans for the agricultural sector,” he said.
On his part during the event, the water and agriculture ministry's permanent secretary Percy Misika said Namibia has the ample natural resources to spur sustainable economic growth and poverty eradication.
“Namibia has the legal and policy frames coupled with sound vision and development frameworks availing and enabling environment for sustainable development,” he said.
He said value addition is critical to spur industrialisation.
Most African countries are not participating in the prospecting and exploration activities in the African continental shelf and adjacent oceanic areas by African initiatives.
This forms part of the words of advice that the African Union Commission(AUC) gave Namibia on how the country can take advantage of its natural resources.
The AUC's head of division: environment, climate change, water and land management Harsen Nyambe last week Wednesday said Namibia should also take advantage African Union initiatives such as the Free Trade Area and Single Air Market.
He was speaking at the second Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture held at the José Eduardo dos Santos (UNAM) Campus, in Ongwediva last week Wednesday.
The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation- hosted event was under the theme :“Optimising of Namibia's natural resources for sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty.”
“It is a fact that Namibia is endowed with plenty natural resources and we know that in Africa resources can be either a blessing or a curse depending on a myriad of factors. It is also true that untapped natural resources are as good as having no resources at all,” he said.
He also urged the country to create an enabling environment by putting in place legislation that attract investments into the sector, empowerment and participation. “not the same people who own shares in fisheries to be in mining and in all boards,” he said.
“Let scholarships be made available to talented students or those with potential and let the government identify critical fields for support for example, I doubt whether the food donated to Namibia during times of need is even tested for various reasons,” he further said.
He also called for the promotion of domestic resource mobilisation including private sector for investment in natural resources, promotion of the country on the global scale.
“African Union Commission stands ready to support Namibia in natural resources management, broader environment including climate change and development of investment plans for the agricultural sector,” he said.
On his part during the event, the water and agriculture ministry's permanent secretary Percy Misika said Namibia has the ample natural resources to spur sustainable economic growth and poverty eradication.
“Namibia has the legal and policy frames coupled with sound vision and development frameworks availing and enabling environment for sustainable development,” he said.
He said value addition is critical to spur industrialisation.
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