WINDHOEK: Namibia need to promote an export-led economic development President Hifikepunye Pohamba said on Thursday. Given the size of the country economy, it must be clear that Namibia need to promote an export-led economic development, explained the Namibian Head of State during the launching of the National Development Plan (NDP4) in the capital on Thursday.
“We can only achieve success in becoming an exporting economy if we are able to compete with the other economies,” he explained further, adding that it is also important to continue addressing the issue of the country’s economic competitiveness.
Without economic competitiveness, ‘our’ efforts to address development challenges will be less successful, he added. “One of the most important factor to economic competitiveness is to ensure that we have the necessary skills. There are studies that suggest that we do not have adequate skills that can help us to be competitive,” he said.
The government has put put in motion the process to improve the quality of the education system and there are good signs that they are on the right track, he stated. He then encourage the Ministry of Education to continue with their efforts to reform the education system.
He also encouraged private sector to also play a meaningful role in skills development. Instead of viewing skills development as an additional cost to business, he said, the private sector should start viewing skills development as an investment for the future. “We need to have a true partnership based on mutual desire to progress,” he said.
(edited)WINDHOEK; Namibia needs to promote an export-led economic development, given the size of the country’s economy. This was the view of President Hifikepunye Pohamba during the launch of National Development Plan Four (NDP4) in the capital on Thursday.
He said the country can only achieve success in becoming an exporting economy if it is able to compete with other economies. Hence, it is important to continue addressing the issue of the country’s economic competitiveness.
“Without economic competitiveness, our efforts to address development challenges will be less successful,” he noted. According to the president, one of the most important factors to economic competitiveness is to ensure that the country has the necessary skills, noting that there are studies that suggest that the nation does not have adequate skills that can help it to be competitive.
Pohamba stated that the government has put in motion the process to improve the quality of the education system, and there are good signs that it is on the right track.
He thus encouraged the Ministry of Education to continue with its efforts to reform the education system, noting that the private sector also has to play a meaningful role in skills’ development.
Instead of viewing skills’ development as an additional cost to business, the private sector should start viewing skills’ development as an investment for the future.
“We need to have a true partnership, based on a mutual desire to progress,” said Pohamba.