Patience Makwele
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Chinese investors to partner with Namibia in building processing industries and creating jobs, saying the country can no longer rely on exporting raw minerals while many citizens remain unemployed and poor.
Speaking at the Namibia–China Business Forum in Beijing on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s future economic relationship with China must move beyond trade in raw materials towards investment, industrialisation, manufacturing and technology transfer.
She said Namibia’s rich mineral deposits, including uranium, diamonds, lithium, copper and rare earth minerals, must be used to create greater economic benefits for Namibians.
“For too long our mining sector was more on extraction and export of raw materials, a system that did not work for us,” she said.
“Today Namibia, with all sorts of minerals, many of our people are unemployed and poor.”
The President said the government’s approach was to prioritise value addition by encouraging investors to establish processing facilities and beneficiation industries inside Namibia.
“Our goal is to export value-added products, not only primary goods,” she said.Political commentator Alex Murangi said the President’s remarks speak to one of Namibia’s biggest economic challenges citing the gap between the country’s resource wealth and the benefits experienced by ordinary citizens.
“Namibia has abundant natural resources but the benefits have not always translated into enough jobs, industries and improved livelihoods for ordinary Namibians,” Murangi said.
He said while the push for value addition was necessary, the success of the approach would depend on implementation and creating an environment that supports investment.
“Attracting investors is only the first step. As a country we must ensure it has the skills, infrastructure, energy capacity and policies needed to support local processing and industrial development,” he said.
Murangi added that partnerships with China should not only focus on exporting raw materials but must also deliver skills transfer, local industries and sustainable employment opportunities.
“The real measure of success will be whether these investments create local industries, transfer skills and generate jobs,” he said.
The remarks were made during her State Visit to China, where Namibia is seeking stronger economic partnerships in areas including agriculture, energy, mining, logistics, education, digital innovation, health and creative industries.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia wanted Chinese companies to see the country not only as a source of resources, but as a destination for manufacturing, innovation and regional expansion.
“Come and manufacture in Namibia, come and process in Namibia, come and innovate in Namibia, and come and grow with Namibia,” she told Chinese businesses.
She highlighted China’s expanded market access for qualifying African exports as an opportunity for Namibian producers, but warned that local businesses must improve production capacity, quality standards and competitiveness to benefit.
The President encouraged Namibian businesses attending the forum to use the opportunity to secure partnerships, technology transfer and access to new markets.
She said Namibia’s strategic location, including the Walvis Bay Port and access to regional markets through SADC, SACU and the African Continental Free Trade Area, positioned the country as a gateway into Southern Africa.
Meanwhile, minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp told the education and creative industries seminar in Beijing that Namibia was seeking cooperation with China to strengthen skills development, innovation and creative-sector growth.
Steenkamp said investments in education infrastructure, science, technology and innovation were critical to building a skilled workforce capable of supporting Namibia’s economic transformation.
She highlighted plans for an Innovation Valley, stronger nuclear science education at the University of Namibia, and expanded support for creative industries as part of efforts to promote research, entrepreneurship and job creation.
