WINDHOEK, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Wednesday outlined a series of measures to boost investment, expand key sectors and advance the country's long-term development agenda.
Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Windhoek, Nandi-Ndaitwah said 15 investment projects valued at 63.5 billion Namibian dollars (about 3.8 billion U.S. dollars) are underway, with more than 24,000 jobs expected at full operation.
She said the government will continue efforts to improve the business environment and identify new economic opportunities to support growth.
"Through prudent policies and strategic investments, government continues to lay a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity," she said.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, an enabling legislation for the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund is at an advanced stage and will be tabled in Parliament soon.
In the energy sector, she said projects valued at over 8 billion Namibian dollars are underway and are expected to increase electricity generation capacity, supporting economic activity.
On agriculture, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the government aims to reduce reliance on food imports by 80 percent by 2030 through increased production and support to farmers, while the southern African country will continue to expand youth empowerment programs and skills development initiatives to promote employment and entrepreneurship.
On international relations, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia is moving closer to concluding negotiations with Germany on genocide apology and reparations, with a revised agreement expected to be tabled before Parliament prior to signing.
Nandi-Ndaitwah added that the government remains committed to implementing policies under the sixth National Development Plan to drive inclusive growth, build resilience and improve service delivery. ■