WINDHOEK, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Namibia must capitalize on its strategic location and transport infrastructure to expand trade, attract investment and support industrial growth, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Friday.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2026 Swakopmund International Trade Expo (SWAiTEX) in the coastal town of Swakopmund, Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted the role of the Port of Walvis Bay and the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi and Trans-Cunene corridors in connecting Namibian producers and neighboring landlocked economies to regional and international markets.
She said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers opportunities to expand intra-African trade, develop regional value chains and advance industrialization.
"For Namibia, the AfCFTA must become a practical route to market access for our farmers, manufacturers, service providers, creative industries and emerging entrepreneurs," she said.
Organized by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the 10th edition of SWAiTEX runs from Thursday to Saturday under the theme "Powering Africa's Next Economy: Innovation, Inclusion and Industrial Growth."
This year's business program includes discussions on regulatory reforms, mobilizing investment capital, industrialization and opportunities in emerging industries, according to the organizers.
Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that trade exhibitions should deliver lasting business results by connecting producers with buyers, helping investors identify opportunities and enabling entrepreneurs to build relationships that lead to contracts, partnerships and jobs.
Realizing those opportunities also requires strengthening Namibia's productive capacity, she said, citing the Sixth National Development Plan's emphasis on moving beyond dependence on raw-material exports toward higher-value production, mineral beneficiation and competitive industries.
She also highlighted measures to improve the investment environment, saying some resolutions from the inaugural Namibia Public-Private Forum, held in October 2025, are being implemented.
Meanwhile, Nandi-Ndaitwah invited business leaders and investors to the second Namibia Public-Private Forum, which the National Planning Commission has scheduled for Nov. 25 to 26, to advance reforms and turn investment commitments into projects and employment opportunities. ■
