WINDHOEK, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Namibia will continue to support foreign mining investors that create local jobs, transfer skills, and retain more economic value in the country, Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse said Tuesday.
Speaking at a rebranding ceremony for Chinese-owned GMS Namibia Mining Services in the capital, Windhoek, Amutse said mining companies should contribute not only to mineral extraction but also to employment, workplace safety, and local economic development.
Established in Namibia in 2021 as Gezhouba Mining Services, the company has been renamed GMS Namibia Mining Services and provides integrated open-pit mining services.
According to Amutse, Namibians account for more than 90 percent of the company's workforce of over 450, while its local procurement spending since 2021 has exceeded 1.2 billion Namibian dollars (about 73 million U.S. dollars).
"These are not simply figures. They represent jobs for our citizens, skills transferred to our people, and value retained within the Namibian economy through the local value chain," he said.
"Localization should not stop at employment numbers. It should also include skills transfer and meaningful Namibian participation in the management and leadership of companies operating in this country," he said.
Amutse also called for more domestic processing of Namibia's mineral resources, saying the country needs to strengthen its mineral value chain rather than continuing to export most minerals in raw form.
GMS Chief Executive Officer Wen Shu said that the company would step up training for Namibian professionals to support the development of the local mining industry.
Wei Jinming, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, noted that Chinese companies should align their development with that of their host country by creating jobs and training local technical and management personnel.
"An enterprise's growth cannot be separated from the development of its host country; only by closely aligning its own future with Namibia's development can it move forward steadily and go far," Wei said.
The ceremony coincided with the 13th Namibia Mining Expo and Conference, held from Aug. 4 to 6 in Windhoek. ■
