US trade group prospects Nam

In the latest round of exchange missions between Namibia and the West, a business delegation of some 10 executives from the USA and Canada this weekend concludes a week-long visit to Namibia, aimed at enticing investment and partnership opportunities. Arranged by the Namibian embassy in the US, this week’s visit follows a number of prior missions between representatives of the two nations, most recently when President Hage Geingob and Minister of Mines and Energy Obeth Kandjoze met with officials in the solar energy industry in Texas in October this year. The latest visitors represent industries such as architecture, business consultancy, mobile technology, health, information technology and international law. Since their arrival on Sunday, the group has met with various local industry players, including the SME Bank, Namibia Trade Board (NTB), the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), the Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC), the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and the Namibia Trade Forum (NTF). They were also treated to site visits of the Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) Windhoek brewery, and the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco). “Of course there are various programmes in place between ourselves and the US, among others AGOA (the African Growth and Opportunity Act), but we hope to expand on these,” Namibian ambassador to the US Martin Andjaba told Namibian Sun this week. Worthy endeavour One of the US delegates, renowned heart surgeon and professor of surgery at the University of Texas in San Antonio Dr Marvin Smith, on Wednesday delivered a public lecture at the Unam School of Medicine on the topic ‘heart surgery experiences and new procedures for bypass surgery and aneurysms’. Dr Smith’s engagement is credited to an agreement signed between Namibian Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Bernard Haufiku and the University of Texas Health Science Centre in September this year, allowing for an exchange of medical students and technicians. Another recent development from the government’s September visit to the US is a possible 150 MW solar power plant by Texas-based renewable energy company CPS Energy. “The challenge at this point is that Namibia’s energy ministry seems keen on consummating a solution towards 2016,” CPS Energy’s outgoing CEO Paul Benebe told Namibian Sun from Texas. The company, he said, was currently involved in internal discussions about how they could supply this need, particularly in terms of isolated solar energy distribution, purified water, as well as larger-scale solar power generation connected to a grid. “Speaking from the perspective of a San Antonio citizen, it was a very positive engagement, and there are certainly various economic, but also cultural and political benefits to be derived either way,” Benebe said. DENVER ISAACS