Niël Terblanché
Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila championed innovation, synergy, and collaborative growth among local authorities at the official opening of the Investment Seminar during the Amalgamated Rotational Annual Festival (ARAF) 2023.
She spoke during the official opening of ARAF 2023 on Wednesday in Omaruru and said the seminar is focused on promoting mutual development between the local authorities of Omaruru, Karibib, and Usakos in the Erongo Region.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila commended the innovative efforts of the Mayors and Local Authority Councils for organizing ARAF to jointly foster development and avoid duplication of efforts.
“When local authorities hold events together, it promotes mutual building, strengthens institutions, allows mutual learning, and extends project learnings to each other,” she said.
She stressed the importance of local authorities in promoting local economic development and expressed confidence in the range of investment opportunities that can spur the economies of the local authorities to higher growth when pursued in synergy.
The Prime Minister urged local authorities to leverage public-private partnerships to scale up investments and roll out public services to all Namibians.
The role of local authorities becomes even more paramount as the African Union has adopted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), aspiring for a high level of integration to promote trade amongst Africans and the growth of African economies
“Namibia, preparing to harness the benefits of AfCFTA, is focusing on building capacity to produce exportable products and attract investors to support increased economic activities, industrial development, and to enhance the competitiveness of businesses,” she said.
The Prime Minister urged local authorities to embrace innovation and modernize service delivery through digital transformation and adoption of responsive delivery methods to remain competitive in the globalized economies.
She indicated that the government has adopted the Public Service Innovation Policy, which is intended to provoke new ways of thinking and working to enhance service delivery. Innovation Champions have been identified by local authorities to bring about institutional betterment in service delivery to the people of Namibia.
She welcomed the support from the private sector in promoting trade and business throughout Namibia, including their participation in ARAF 2023.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stressed the importance of shedding the silo mentality and urged local authorities and exhibitors to build synergies, promote partnerships, and come up with innovative ideas to add more value to their products and services, enabling more returns on investments and creating more employment opportunities.
While congratulating the hosting local authorities, she pointed to the ongoing efforts by the government to support local enterprise development by improving access to business finance and markets and enhancing the regulatory environment for businesses.
She encouraged businesses to seize the opportunities offered by the government for their growth and to explore investment opportunities in their local authorities.
According to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, ARAF 2023 stands as a testament to Namibia’s commitment to fostering mutual development, enhancing public service delivery, and driving innovation, with local authorities playing a pivotal role in realising the nation’s developmental aspirations.
