Trade ministry wants to empower SMEs to export products

The ministry of trade and industrialisation is aiming to enable more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to export their products.

This was declared by the ministry’s executive director, Sikongo Haihambo, at a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event hosted by the ministry’s state-owned enterprise, GS1 Namibia, in Windhoek on Friday.

GS1 Namibia is the country’s official provider of barcodes for retail.

“Today, we stand united with one clear objective, and that is to foster connections between local producers and buyers, to help them to create market opportunities that will drive the growth and competitiveness of Namibian products,” Haihambo said at the event.

“The ministry remains committed to supporting initiatives like this one, which aim to empower businesses through innovation, global standards and strategic partnerships,” he continued.

“Our local businesses are integral to Namibia’s economic future. Through today’s event we are giving them the tools and access they need to thrive both nationally and internationally.”

The executive director stressed the opportunities for Namibian SMEs to export within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“When you are producing your products, you must have in mind the continental market first and foremost,” he said, addressing the small business owners in attendance.

This sentiment was also echoed by Maria Immanuel, liaison and community development manager at the Rössing Foundation, which sponsored the event.

“We want to support SMEs in terms of capacity building to understand how to interpret international trade, how to claim preferences, and so on,” Immanuel said.

“We can start with free trade within Southern African Development Community while we wait for the AfCFTA. There are no duties and they are our neighbours, meaning logistics are much simpler,” she said.