Windhoek, Namibia, 29 November 2021 (MIT, AUC & ECA) – The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Economic Commission for Africa’s African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) and Sub regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) is organising a Validation Hybrid Workshop of Namibia’s Strategy on the Implementation of AfCFTA on 2 and 3 December 2021 at Safari Hotel, Windhoek, Namibia, preceded by a media sensitization workshop on December 1, 2021 at the same venue.
The workshop will review the draft national AfCFTA strategy and implementation plan in terms of the content, the objectives, proposed actions and the implementation framework to address any gaps, correct any misrepresentations and align any inconsistencies to improve the national strategy and implementation framework. The workshop will also review the proposed Terms of Reference for the National AfCFTA Committee to ensure the terms provide a solid foundation for the required leadership in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement in Namibia.
The one-day sensitization and capacity building workshop for the local media will focus on capacitating this group of stakeholders to be able to report competently on the implementation of the agreement. The media is critical in helping stakeholders, including the private sector, cross border traders, governments and vulnerable groups across Namibia and the general citizenry understand and appreciate the benefits and challenges associated with the AfCFTA implementation. It is thus imperative for the media to be well grounded on technical and operational issues on the AfCFTA Agreement.
The validation meeting will be attended by representatives of the private sector, civil society organizations, youth groups, academia, micro small and medium enterprises and associations of women in business. The umbrella private sector business organizations will, among others, include the Namibia Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other its other affiliate organizations. The Validation meeting will be officially opened by the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade and will be attended by representatives of parastatals and other ministries.
Issued by:
The Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa
UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
P.O. Box 30647, Lusaka, Zambia.
Media Contacts:
Mr Bedson Nyoni
Senior Information Management Assistant
Economic Commission for Africa Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA)
Cell: +260 97 784 5948
Email: nyonib@un.org / williamsnyoni@gmail.com
Mr Andreas Andjene
Chief Trade Promotion Officer
The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade
Cell: +264 85 371 8444
Email:andreas.andjene@mit.gov.na